


RWBY Versus XV Volume 1: Beacon

by Arun_DarkSaiyan



Series: Fabula Remnant Chronicles [1]
Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XV, RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossover, Fantasy, Fights, Gen, High School, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Swordfighting, Team Bonding, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-06
Updated: 2020-11-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22580317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arun_DarkSaiyan/pseuds/Arun_DarkSaiyan
Summary: Huntsmen and Huntresses, protectors of humanity and the slayers of Grimm. Beacon Academy  is a place for training such people to their full potential. Ruby Rose arrives at Beacon, aiming to follow in her parents footsteps. Jaune Arc arrives, with dreams of heroism. From a foreign country emerging from turmoil; Noctis Lucius Calem arrives. These three begin to settle in, forming teams and beginning their new lives. However, a creeping shadow spreads through the underworld, one that could threaten all of Vale!Front cover designed by Ironpines. Summary by OddestWriter
Series: Fabula Remnant Chronicles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1648849
Comments: 10
Kudos: 17





	1. Beacon of Hope

**Author's Note:**

> A fanfiction series based on Rooster Teeth’s RWBY and Square Enix’s Final Fantasy. Please support the official release. 
> 
> This fanfiction is dedicated to the following people:
> 
> Razorblade180, Chaos Lord Joe, LewdNeptuneVasilias, Bssaz97, TheHTG, Agent G, Biscuitstheperson, dualcoindeity, Abster, Mona, WingsAbove, AllieandherFandoms, LadyValhalla, Quibble, alexsuperstar, Knightsong, Switchback SYTO, Irken, InvincibleWeasel, OddEyedDuelist, Seshirukun, Arc-Carnage, FFGrunge Nerd, Baelake, LavenderRare, commanderkurama, Goober, Eraclese, Fyrecracker, Izzy, Bea, AnimeFan299110, VelvetJay, The Saint, That Killer Bunny, KenzoSSW, ColeConCon, Loganhunter2, SpecialSchneeFlake, BloodNikki, Nikkiglenclose, Karl, Vornir, Ezroar, Ironpines, Owletarc, greenvioletfables, strykingback, Ira-smiling, zerolympiustrife, dragonotaku-justineverything, phenomenonsendri and all the RWBY and Final Fantasy fans.
> 
> Special thanks to:
> 
> OddestWriter for beta reading, concept art and summary writing for Volume 1  
> Seshirukun for concept art  
> Ironpines for front cover art  
> Owletarc for chapter cover art

__

_Legends. Stories scattered through time._

_Mankind has grown quite fond of recounting the exploits of heroes and villains, forgetting so easily that we are remnants, byproducts, of a forgotten past._

_Man, born from dust, was strong, wise and resourceful. But he was born into an unforgiving world. An inevitable darkness, creatures of destruction. The creatures of Grimm set their sights on man and all of his creations. These forces clashed, and it seemed the darkness was intent on returning man’s brief existence into the void._

_However, even the smallest spark of hope is enough to ignite change and in time, man’s passion, resourcefulness and ingenuity led them to the tools that would help even the odds. This power was appropriately named “Dust”._

_Thus began the age of warriors, the age of heroes. The age of Huntsmen and Huntresses._

_With nature’s wrath in hand, the Huntsmen and Huntresses lit their way through the darkness and in the shadow’s absence came strength, civilization and most importantly, life._

_But even the most brilliant lights eventually flicker and die. And when they are gone, darkness will return._

_So you may prepare your guardians, build your monuments to a so-called free world but take heed… there will be no victory in strength._

_But perhaps victory is in the simpler things that you've long forgotten. Things that require smaller, more honest souls. For you see, people believe in hope. That when darkness veils the world, Warriors of Light shall come. This is a tale of those warriors; six young men and six young women._

_This is a fantasy based on reality._

* * *

The shattered moon shone brightly in the night sky. A cold breeze whistled through trees. On the pathway, a young woman trudged along. Her white tunic had rips and tears and her red leggings and black boots were covered in dirt. In her left hand, she carried a large battle axe that was stained with black ash, while her right arm was heavily bandaged. Across the path, she could see her destination; a tall, wooden house. Enduring the painful steps, she continued the walk until she was at the front of the house. Suddenly, she jumped at the sound of a loud squawk. Beside the house was a tall, golden bird tied to a post. It stared menacingly at her and flapped its wings frantically. The woman raised its arms in an attempt to calm it down but the bird squawked louder and even tried to peck her. 

“Alec, what’s wrong boy?” called a voice from inside. Footsteps followed and the door opened to reveal a young man with tan skin and golden blonde hair. His eyes were deep blue and he wore an orange top and brown cargo trousers. He gasped at the sight of the injured young woman standing outside. His eyes glimmered with both relief and sorrow. 

“Summer?” he asked. She took off her hood, revealing her messy, dark red hair and five scratch marks running down her cheeks. Her most prominent feature, however, were her eyes; a beautiful silver colour. 

“H-Hello Tai.” she rasped, giving him a warm smile. Seeing the face of the Summer was enough to calm Alec and he nuzzled at her shoulder. 

“Aww, I missed you too,” she cooed and gave him a gentle pat on the head. She turned to Tai, who still said nothing. Instead, he ran his hands across her scars and embraced her. Summer returned in kind, longing to feel his warmth again.

“I thought I lost you,” Tai sobbed. “I thought I’d never see you again!”

“It’s okay, Tai,” said Summer, trying to fight back her own tears. “I’m right here.” 

Their little moment together was interrupted when they heard the sound of little feet pattering over the wooden floors. Tai turned and chuckled at the sight of their daughters; Yang and Ruby. Yang, the older one, was just like her father; light tan skin, lilac eyes and golden blonde hair in pigtails. She wore a sandy brown t-shirt and black shorts. Ruby, The younger one, was just like her mother; pale skin, silver eyes and short crimson hair. She wore a black vest and a red skirt. 

“Mommy!” they squealed. Instant joy was brought to Summer’s face as they dashed over and gripped her in a fierce double hug. 

“My babies!” she cheered as she embraced them tightly. 

“I missed you mommy!” Ruby sniffled, burying her face in Summer’s shoulder.

“I missed you too, sweetheart!” Summer sniffled back. 

““What happened to your arm?” Yang asked, pointing to the bandages.

“Oh now that’s a story!” Summer said excitedly. “Do you girls want to hear it!”

“YEAH!” they squealed. Tai couldn’t help but laugh. It was wonderful to see his family back together after waiting for months on end.

“How about we let your mother come inside and tell you girls at the dinner table? I’m sure she’s hungry after the long trip.”

“Oh you have no idea.” Summer sighed. After heading inside, Summer clenched her teeth as Tai administered the stinging antiseptic. Her face turned green as she swallowed some medicine he fed her. The sight was amusing to say the least.

“Summer Rose, Huntress extraordinaire and leader of Team STRQ, defeated by mere medicine.”

“I’d like to see your face when you have some,” she gagged. “This thing tastes revolting!”

“Don’t worry, that’ll go away once dinner is served,” he said, smiling at her. “Speaking of which, I gotta get the table ready.” Summer joined Ruby and Yang at the kitchen table while Tai stirred the pot. Beside her sat Ruby, bouncing excitedly.

“I can’t wait for dad’s noodles!” she squeaked.

“Woah there,” Summer laughed, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Be patient, we’re all hungry.” 

“Well prepare to say goodbye to that because dinner is served!” Tai beamed as he carried the pot over to the table. Yang was drooling in anticipation and her eyes burst as soon as her father opened the lid. Inside were golden brown noodles, a mix of green, yellow and red peppers and a huge helping of fried pork. Tai had to stifle a giggle as he heard a loud rumbling from Yang’s tummy. “Alright everyone, let’s dig in!” Ruby was the first to taste, almost burning her mouth in the process.

“Ow!” she screamed. “Hot!”

Shaking his head, Tai moved over to her. “You’re supposed to blow on them before you scarf it down,” he said. “Watch.” Taking several pieces of noodles with his chopsticks, he blew on them gently. “Now say ‘ahh.’” 

“Ahh.” The little one repeated. She slurped the noodles and beamed. “They’re really good, daddy!” Tai chuckled and returned to his seat to finish his meal. Once dinner was over, Summer tried to help Tai clear the table, though he firmly insisted that she rested.

“Come on, sweetie, you had a rough time with your mission,” he said. “You need to get some rest.”

“I know, it’s just that you did a lot of work tonight. The least I can do is help you clean up.”

“Are you sure?”

Summer smiled. “Positive. I’ll be fine.”

“If you say so.” he sighed. 

“We’ll help too!” Yang and Ruby said. Tai shook his head. These girls would be the death of him. As he and Summer washed the plates, Ruby and Yang wiped the table and within minutes, the entire kitchen was spotless. Moving into the living room, Summer told the story of her mission to the girls, who leaned forward with anticipation.

“So there I was, just a lone Huntress, surrounded by vicious Grimm!” she began. “They were the ugliest things I ever saw. Like a living shadow!” Ruby and Yang’s eyes glimmered with awe. 

“What happened next?” Yang asked.

“I fought them with my trusty axe!” Summer bellowed. “They were no match for me and they fell down hard!”

“Wow!” said Ruby. “You’re the best, mommy!” Soon her eyes began to droop and she gave a big yawn.

“Looks like someone’s sleepy,” Summer chuckled.

“N-No I’m not.” 

“Yang, why don’t you take Ruby to bed?” Tugging on her arm, Yang took her sister to bed. Tai joined Summer on the couch and ran his fingers through her hair. 

“It’s good to have you back, sweetheart.” he whispered.

“It’s good to be back,” she replied. Moving close to him, she rested on his shoulder. “I missed you and the girls so much.” 

“We did too.” Tai held her close and kissed her forehead. “Hey Summer?”

“Yes Tai?” she asked. 

“I’ve been thinking lately.” Summer lifted her head up, intent on hearing what he had to say.

“About what?”

“About us. You’re so amazing and I’m the luckiest guy in the world to have you by my side.”

“Awww,” she cooed. “You’re so sweet, Tai.” 

“I’m not done yet,” he said, moving away from her. “When I was in a dark place, it was you who pulled me out. You helped take care of Yang and you taught her everything she knows, from tying her shoes and to baking. You gave us a new little bundle of joy in Ruby, and most of all, you’ve brought a shining light into our lives. One filled with unending love, kindness and passion. And there’s no one else I’d rather be with than you.” Summer’s eyes started to tear up. She couldn’t deny that Tai’s speech was absolutely cheesy, but it touched her heart how much he really loved her. Suddenly, he knelt down on one knee.

“Tai?” she gasped. She couldn’t believe it. Was this actually happening? From his pocket, he pulled out a small, white box and opened it. Inside was a beautiful silver ring, with a topaz jewel on top.

“Summer Rose, will you marry me?” She couldn’t hold back the tears any longer and jumped onto Tai, capturing his lips into a deep, loving kiss. Tai ran his hands across her face and returned the kiss with equal love. 

“So I’ll take that as a yes?” he asked, gasping for air.

“Of course, you idiot.” she giggled, kissing him again. Holding each other close, the two spent the rest of the night together, lost in their happiness at the thought of being together. 

* * *

**10 Years Later**

* * *

It was a beautiful day in Vale City, with the sun shining brightly and the people all lively. Some of the leaves on the trees had started to turn yellow, a sure sign that autumn was approaching. Ruby was walking along the streets. She wore a red sweater with a white rose emblem at the centre, a black skirt held by black belt, black stockings and red trainers. At the back of her belt was a compacted rifle, coloured red with black trims. From her pockets, she heard a ringing and rummaged around to find her scroll-phone. Seeing her sister’s name, Ruby swiped the green button and held it up to her ear to answer.

“Hi Yang,” she said in a bubbly voice.

“ **Hey there, Rubes,** ” Yang replied. “ **Just checking to hear how my baby sister is doing.** ” Ruby rolled her eyes.

“I’m doing fine, Yang. you don’t need to keep checking up on me, and can you knock it off the ‘baby sister’? I’m 14, not 4.”

“ **Oh, I will be checking up on you a lot, especially if Arthur’s involved.** ” A mild blush appeared on Ruby’s face.

“Y-Y-Yang, it’s not like that!” she stuttered frantically. “W-W-W-We’re j-just friends, t-t-that’s all-,” From the scroll, she could hear Yang laughing like a hyena.

“ **Relax, I’m messing with you.** ” 

“You’re evil, you know that?”

“ **Hehe. But seriously, I do need to talk to you.** ” 

“Fine. What is it?” Ruby sighed, already regretting picking up the scroll.

“ **I’ll be in Vale City later tonight, and I was wondering if you would join me later after you’re done with Arthur?** ” Ruby’s teeth gritted. As much as she loved her sister, Yang was known to be quite reckless on nights out.

“A-Are you going to go to one of those shady clubs again?” she asked.

“ **That was ONE time!** ” Yang hissed over the scroll.

“You destroyed a nightclub owned by a member of a GANG!” Ruby screamed back.

“ **It was in self-defence!** ”

“You’re lucky that Uncle Qrow was there to help out, Dad would’ve had a heart attack!” Ruby’s rant was interrupted when she spotted her friend Arthur near a small café. He had short blue hair with light tan skin, and he wore a dark blue jacket, with a green shirt underneath, black jeans and white trainers. On the front of his jacket was an emblem of a sword surrounded by flames. The two waved at each other, smiling. “Anyway, I got to go. Arthur’s here.”

“ **Okay then, good luck on your date!** ” Yang chuckled.

“No, it’s not a date! It’s- hello?” There was no answer coming from the scroll. “Great, she hung up.” Sighing, she put it away and crossed the road. Arthur greeted her and grinned widely.

“Hey there, Ruby.”

“Hi Arthur.” she replied.

“How’s everything going?”

“Okay, I guess. Yang said that she wanted to meet up later.”

This got Arthur’s attention. “Oh really?” he said, resisting the urge to jump for joy. “So… is she seeing anyone at the moment?

Ruby rolled her eyes. “No, she’s not and before you ask, no. She’s not interested.”

Arthur sighed in defeat. “I thought as much.”

“Besides, I don’t think she’ll have the time anyway. She’s going to be heading off to Beacon Academy in 3 days.”

“Oh yeah, I forgot about that.”

“Yep. Don’t worry, I’m sure you can see her off.”

“I can’t.” Arthur put his arm over his eyes as Ruby snickered. “It’s too painful.”

“You’re so over dramatic!” the redhead laughed. “Come on, let’s head over to the café”

The two teens placed their orders at the counter and sat outside the café. Ruby ordered a very creamy coffee and Arthur had an equally creamy hot chocolate. While he was blissfully enjoying his drink, even managing to end with a cream moustache on his lip, Ruby had yet to touch her coffee. Instead she simply ran her finger across the brim of the mug, confusing Arthur.

“Ruby? Hello?” he said, waving his hand in front of her face. Ruby blinked suddenly as she diverted her attention to her friend. He shook his head amusingly as she twiddled her fingers out of embarrassment.

“Oh, sorry about that,” she squeaked. “I was a little lost there.”

“I’ll say,” he chuckled, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. “So, what were you thinking about?”

“Um, just how we’ll be going back to school soon.”

Arthur smiled. “I know right? I can’t wait for all the new stuff we’re going to be learning!” 

Ruby beamed at the thought. Ever since she was young, she always wanted to be a Huntress. Alongside Arthur, Ruby was attending a beginner’s combat school, Signal. It was there that she learned the tools of the trade, such as fighting techniques, sparring and even how to build her own weapon. It was a small stepping stone into her big dream of joining Beacon Academy; one of the most prestigious Huntsman Academies in all of Remnant. 

“It’ll be fun to watch you fangirl over Mr. Branwen again.” Arthur chuckled, causing Ruby to spit her coffee.

“I-I don’t fangirl over Qrow!” she spluttered, her face as red as a cherry.

“Of course you do. After every class, you’re always going on about how ‘Qrow is the best’. Seriously, I know he’s your uncle and all, but you gotta cool that hero worship.” A pout appeared on Ruby’s face.

“Says the guy who has a 6ft poster of the Knights of Vale hanging in his room.” Arthur's eyes widened with horror.

“T-That’s not mine!” he stuttered frantically. “T-That’s Kay’s. I-It’s his poster!” His protests did nothing to stop Ruby’s giggling fit. “Can we just finish our drinks and head to the arcade? I’ve been dying to kick your ass at City Brawlers.”

“Not this time,” said Ruby. Her eyes were on fire and she fist pumped with determination. “I’ve been training all summer long with Yang. There’s no way I’m gonna lose!”

“Oh we’ll see about that,” snickered Arthur. With their drinks finished, the two stood up and stared at each other fiercely. They walked across to the other side of the street and made their way inside Gaiman Arcade. Game machines flashed all around, from pinball, shooters, driving to the old classic arcade machines. At the front was the City Brawlers machine, painted black with a neon yellow logo. Ruby and Arthur turned to each other.

“You ready to lose?” he muttered. 

“I’m always ready!” she bellowed. It took a minute for her to realise what she said and scrambled all over trying to correct herself. “I didn’t mean I was ready to lose!”

* * *

By the time they left the arcade, the sun was setting. Ruby had a glum look on her face while Arthur was skipping with joy.

“Would you stop rubbing it in?” she moaned.

“Oh, don’t be like that, Rubes,” he said. “One day you’ll be able to beat me in at least one arcade game.”

“It’s not fair how you’re good at ALL of them!” she pouted.

“Given that my brother is pretty much the ‘golden child’, arcade games were the only thing I could beat him at.” Checking his scroll-phone, Arthur raised his eyebrow as the clock read 7:30 PM.

“Is that the time already? Sorry Ruby, I got to get back. I promised Kay that I’d help out with dinner.”

“Okay Arthur,” she said. “Say ‘hi’ to your dad for me.”

Arthur smiled. “Will do, take care.” Waving goodbye, Ruby turned back and carried on walking. In the middle of the street, she spotted a small shop up ahead, with the sign reading ‘From Dust 'Till Dawn’. 

“Yes!” she cheered to herself. “It’s still open.” From her pocket, she could feel her scroll phone ring again. Taking it out, she answered the call. “Hello?”

“ **Hey there, Rubes!** ” greeted Yang. “ **Are you still in Vale City?** ”

“Yep. I’m just heading to Dust shop to look around for a bit.”

“ **Okay, but don’t be long. I’m gonna be at Benjamin’s on Doyle Street later for some dinner. Meet me there.** ”

“Got it. Speak to you soon.” Ruby hung up and headed inside, greeting the old shopkeeper. His face was slightly wrinkled, and his hair was thinning on top. He wore a green uniform with a red apron and smiled at the young Huntress’s awe of his shop. In front of the counter was a glass case, filled with beautiful crystals of a variety of colours. On the right side of the shop were several small machines and tubes filled with crystalline powder and on the left side were several silver coloured capsules, holsters, belts, bags and magnets.

“So, what can I do for you, young miss?” the shopkeeper asked.

“Do you have any copies of Weapon’s Illustrated here?” Ruby asked.

“They’re right at the back.” Ruby thanked the elderly man and walked over to the magazines section. Picking up a copy of Weapon’s Illustrated, she flicked through pages, grinning at the sight of various swords and guns. Suddenly, the door swung open and five men walked in. They all dressed the same; black suits, black homburg hats, red glasses and they were all armed with either grey pistols or red shortswords. In front of them was a man in a bowler hat. He was dressed differently from the others almost like a gentleman, wearing a white overcoat over a grey suit, with smart black shoes, grey scarf and brown gloves. His bright orange hair covered the right side of his face, leaving only one green eye exposed and in his hand, he carried a long, grey cane. The shopkeeper trembled with fright.

“R-R-Roman T-T-Torchwick.” The gentleman sneered at the shopkeeper as he blew smoke from his cigar.

“The one and only. Now, do you have any idea how hard it was to find a Dust shop open this late?” One of the goons beside him pulled out his pistol and shoved into the shopkeeper’s face. He jumped back and put his hands up in surrender.

“P-P-Please,” he stuttered. “D-Don’t hurt m-me. J-J-Just take my lien and leave.”

“Calm down,” Roman chuckled. “We don’t want your money.” He turned towards his cohorts and he scowled. “Grab the Dust.” he ordered. One of them was carried a silver briefcase and he set it above the glass counter.

“Red crystals,” he demanded. “Make sure they’re uncut.” With no way to stop them, the shopkeeper did as he was told. He handed over several red crystals while the rest of the goons approached the tubes and pulled out large canisters. Placing them at the front, they turned on the machines to extract the Dust. One of them spotted Ruby and drew out his sword.

“Hey kid, hands in the air!” he yelled. Ruby turned around and just started at the man, not appearing to be phased in the slightest. “Are you deaf? I said hands in the air!”

“Are you robbing me?” she asked innocently.

“Yes!”

“Ooooh.” Ruby grinned mischievously. The grunt had reached his limit and was ready to swing his sword at her. However, in a burst of speed, he was tackled out of the window and onto the streets. Dazed, he glanced up to find the girl standing over him and staring down the thieves and his men. From her back, Ruby took out her weapon and pushed a button. From the bottom sprouted a long, black handle and the top unfolded into a crescent shaped silver blade.

“Okay.” Roman turned over to the goons. “Get her!” he ordered. Weapons drawn, they rushed towards her, but Ruby was a quick thinker. Spinning round her scythe, she kicked one of the goons in the face and sent him flying. Two more approached her and she pulled the trigger, using the recoil to aid in her movement. Ruby swiftly hit them with the back of her scythe, while a third tried to shoot her. Using her speed, she zipped around the street before she slid under him. Planting the blade deep into the road, she swung on her scythe again and delivered a kick square in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. Roman shook his head in disappointment.

“You were worth every gil.” He muttered. “Truly you were.” Throwing his cigar on the ground, he set his sights on Ruby. “Well, Red, I think we can all say it’s been an eventful evening, and as much as I’d love to stick around,” He soon lifted his cane and pointed it at her. “I’m afraid this is where we part ways.” Pulling a hidden trigger, he fired at her. Without a moment’s hesitation, Ruby jumped out of the way, narrowly missing being caught in the small explosion behind her. She frantically scanned the streets to search for him, her eyes shifting from one scene to the next. At least, Ruby managed to spot him climbing up the fire escape on a nearby building. Determination flowed through her and she zoomed across the road to catch up. Pointing her scythe downwards, she pulled the trigger to shoot herself above the building. Luckily, she managed to land just behind Roman and readied her weapon for the fight.

“Hey!” she called out.

“Persistent brat,” Roman groaned. Ruby suddenly heard the sound of jet engines and her teeth gritted as soon as she saw the VTOL Bullhead ascend in front of her. Snickering to himself, the gentleman thief jumped onto the aircraft but not before tossing a red Dust shard towards her,

“End of the line, Red!” he shouted, shooting at the crystal. A small explosion engulfed the building and Roman cackled like a clown. However, his victory was short lived when he discovered that not only was the girl alive, but someone else had interfered. Staring back at him was a middle-aged woman, surrounded in a purple projection. Her blonde hair was tied into a tight bun and she had bright green eyes with white rimmed glasses. A black cape hung from the shoulders of her white blouse and in her hand, she carried a riding crop. Ruby stared in awe and admiration, while Roman glared with annoyance. The woman said nothing, simply waving the crop as if it was a wand and hurled several bolts of purple light at the Bullhead. The impact was enough to send it into disarray, causing Roman to be thrown across like a ragdoll.

“Oh crap!” he yelped. “We got a Huntress out there!” The blonde Huntress shot more bolts at the Bullhead, only to come face to face with an obscured figure. Suddenly, the shadow began to glow red and shot a burst of hot energy at her. The Huntress shielded the blow with her own energy, but that was a mistake. Below her were the cinders and they too began to glow red. With a flick of her crop, she tossed Ruby to the other side of the building and jumped out of the way as shadow clenched its fist. A large explosion of flames erupted from the roof and glass shrapnel rained from the sky. The Huntress waved her crop again, sending the shrapnel straight back at the bullhead. The shadow, however, was much quicker and fired more shots, destroying the shrapnel piece by piece. The door of the hatch suddenly closed shut and the aircraft flew away into the night.

“Damn it,” the woman muttered. Ruby, though shaking, was starstruck that she got to witness another professional Huntress in action.

“You’re a Huntress!” she squealed with joy. “Can I have your autograph?”

* * *

Ruby never imagined that her day would turn out like this. One minute, she’s a witness to one of the coolest fights she’s ever seen, the next minute she’s stuck in an interrogation room. It was just like the ones she saw in the movies, complete with the dim overhead lamp and single table and chair. The Huntress paced around her, shaking her head in contempt.

“I hope you realise that your actions tonight will not be taken lightly, young lady!” she snapped, causing Ruby to sink into her chair. “You put yourself and others in great danger!”

“But they started it!” Ruby protested.

“If it were up to me,” the Huntress continued. “You’d be sent home with a pat on the back,” This caused the young crimsonette to smile. “And a slap on the wrist.” The Huntress smacked her crop on the table, barely missing Ruby’s hand in the process.

“So, am I in trouble?” she asked quietly.

The Huntress sighed. “No. But there is someone who wants to meet you.” The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with grey hair and emerald green eyes. He wore a dark green suit and scarf and over his eyes were full moon glasses. In his hands, he carried a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a mug of coffee. He placed the plate on the table and looked at Ruby.

“Ruby Rose,” he said. “You have silver eyes.”

Ruby just stared at the man, confused at the comment he made. What did her eyes have to do with anything?

“I have to say,” he continued. “Your fighting style is incredible, especially with that weapon of yours. Tell me, where did you learn to fight like that.”

“Um, Signal Combat School,” she responded.

“They taught you to use a scythe? One of the most dangerous weapons ever designed?”

“Well, one teacher in particular.” The man gestured to Ruby to take a cookie from the plate. Feeling her stomach rumble, she hesitantly picked one up and took a bite. Humming with glee, she proceeded to devour the treats like a greedy cat.

“It’s just that I've only seen one other scythe-wielder of that skill before. A dusty, old crow.”

“Tasmyunkels!” Ruby muffled through her stuffed cheeks, earning a look of amusement and disgust from the green-suited man and the Huntress. Embarrassed, she swallowed the cookies and continued. “Sorry. That’s my Uncle Qrow. I was complete garbage before he took me under his wing. Now I’m like- hiyaaaah!” Ruby did several poses resembling the old martial arts movies she used to watch.

“So I’ve noticed,” The man said. “And what’s an adorable girl such as yourself doing at a school designed to train warriors?”

“Because I want to be a Huntress.” she said simply. The man raised an eyebrow.

“You want to slay monsters?” Ruby nodded her head.

“Yes. You see, my sister’s going to be enrolling at Beacon soon, she’s also training to become a Huntress. It kind of runs in the family, my dad was a Huntsman and my mom was a Huntress and they taught me to always help people. So I thought ‘well I might as well make a career out of it.’ I mean the police are alright… but Huntsmen and Huntresses are just so much cooler, romantic and awesome, you know!”

The Huntress in white and the man in green just stared at her. Finally, he pulled up a chair and sat down.

“Do you know who I am, Miss Rose?” he asked. Ruby nodded her head.

“You’re Professor Ozpin.” Ruby answered. “The headmaster at Beacon.”

Ozpin smiled. “Hello.”

“Nice to meet you.”

“So, you want to come to my school?” Ruby nodded vigorously.

“More than anything.”

“Well okay.”

“Excuse me?” Ruby asked.

“I’m with her on this one; excuse me?” The Huntress in white questioned.

“Glynda.” Ozpin said, turning his head to her. “Miss Rose here possesses remarkable talent for a girl her age. I believe she deserves a chance to prove herself.” Glynda rolled her eyes in disapproval, while Ruby smiled widely with glee. Her dream of becoming a Huntress was finally coming true.

* * *

Inside Benjamin’s Burgers sat Yang, waiting for her order. She wore a yellow crop vest, red scarf, blue shorts and long, brown boots. Tapping the table impatiently, she glanced at the window, only to find no sign of her sister.

“Where is she?” she pondered. Suddenly, her scroll rang and she hastily answered it.

“Ruby, where are you? she asked. “What’s taking so long?”

“ **It’s kind of a long story,** ” Ruby answered softly. “ **But the short answer is… I’m going to Beacon.** ” Yang nearly dropped her burger upon hearing that.

“Wait, seriously?”

“ **Uh huh.** ” A big smile appeared in Yang’s face and she squealed with joy, uncaring of who noticed her.

“I can’t believe that my baby sister is going to Beacon with me! This is the best day ever!”

Across from her table sat four young boys. The tallest one was physically fit, with a long, dark brown mullet, amber eyes and a scar running down the left side of his face. He wore an unzipped purple leather jacket with a white shield and iris emblem on both sleeves, a black vest, black jeans and black hiking shoes. The next one was lanky with short sandy brown hair, green eyes and black rimmed glasses. His outfit was a smart black blazer, orange shirt, dark orange gloves, black trousers and matching black shoes. On his gloves were two matching emblems of small flames. The scrawny boy had messy blonde hair, a freckled face and blue eyes. He wore a sleeveless silver jacket, with a white vest, black fingerless gloves, black jeans and brown combat boots, each with an emblem of a silver bird. The last of the boys had spiky black hair and deep blue eyes. His outfit was a navy blue turtle-neck jumper with an image of a winged, skeletal dragon, black jeans and blue trainers with black soles. 

“Are you ever going to turn that off, Prompto?” asked the black-haired boy. Prompto was too engrossed in his scroll to answer. “Hello?”

“Trust me, Noctis, it’s no use.” said the tall boy. “I’ve tried everything, but he’s hypnotised.”

“If you see the girl who’s kicking ass right now, you’d be hypnotised too, Gladio!” Prompto declared.

“Well then let me see.” he asked. Prompto showed Gladio a video he filmed earlier. It was of a girl in red fighting thugs outside a Dust shop. Gladio smiled in amusement. Next to him, the lanky boy was analysing.

“She definitely has some skill,” he commented.

“I couldn’t agree more, Ignis.” Gladio replied. A waitress approached their table with a tray of burgers, fries and cups of soda. They thanked her and proceeded to dig in. Noctis looked at his hamburger and took off the top bun, carefully placing the lettuce and tomatoes on Prompto’s plate. The blonde boy gave him a deadpan look.

“Dude, really?” he asked.

“You know I don’t like vegetables.” said Noctis.

“You know this is your fault.” Gladio said to Ignis. “I warned you that if you kept babying him, he wouldn’t grow out of his picky eating.” 

“It would be nice if you could tell him that.” Ignis said, sprinkling some salt on his fries.

“Why?”

“Because I do it everyday.”

“Stoph taaing, twing to eat hur!” Noctis replied, his mouth full. Ignis groaned. 

“It seems all that proper etiquette has all gone to waste as well.”

“Did he ever have any?” Gladio asked.

“Good point.” Ignis chuckled. Meanwhile, Prompto was shaking the ketchup bottle as if it was a maraca and proceeded to slam his hand repeatedly on top until the ketchup squirted all over the table and their food.

“Prompto!!”

“What the hell?!”

“Sorry”

“I’ll get some napkins.”


	2. Departure

After the very messy dinner, the boys made their way back to their hotel, The Mary Shelley Inn. Their room was well sized, complete with four beds, a shower, TV, dressing table and wardrobe. Prompto immediately seized his chance and flopped onto the bed.

“Ahhhh.” he moaned with delight. “Now this is the life! So Noct, what do you think of Vale so far?”

“I have to admit, it is pretty interesting.” he replied, unpacking his luggage. “I mean, where else are you gonna see a red-hooded girl beat up a bunch of criminals?”

“True that! The boat ride here was definitely worth it!”

“We have 3 days to kill until we actually attend Beacon,” Gladio said. “What do you suggest we do?”

“Sightseeing!” Prompto yelled, grabbing his camera. 

“Sightseeing it is,” Ignis agreed. 

“Just don’t get carried away like last time.” Noctis muttered.

“What do you mean?” Prompto asked, slightly offended.

“You made us pose for hours on end for just one photo.” Gladio groaned. “We ended up missing the entire carnival because of you.” Prompto glared at him coldly. 

“You can’t rush art, my friend.” Noctis shook his head and lay down on his bed. As the others were unpacking their belongings, he thought back to the journey they took to Vale. It was definitely one of the most eventful trips he had in a long time

* * *

**14 Hours Ago**

* * *

Noctis wasn’t a fan of early mornings, or any mornings for that matter. Yet here he was, bright and early, packing his suitcase on his journey. 3 months ago, he was told by his father, the king, that he and several other students were chosen to represent Lucis in the upcoming Vytal Festival, a tournament between all Huntsmen Academies and this year’s tournament is to be held in Vale. What puzzled him the most, however, was the fact that he and his friends were being sent to Vale earlier than not only his peers from Seraph Academy but also the other contestants in general. He’d hoped his father would explain everything just before he left. Soon, a knock was heard at the door. 

“Your Highness,” called Ignis. “It’s time.”

“I’ll be right out.” Noctis answered. 

Inside an elaborate room decorated in black marble, Noctis, Ignis, Gladio and Prompto stood in the presence of the king; Regis Lucis Caelum. He sat on a beautiful, golden throne, which was adorned with wings and two sets of stairs leading to it. His bearded face was pale and slightly wrinkled, his grey hair had streaks of white and his green eyes were becoming dull with age. He wore a jet black suit and a golden brace on his right leg. On his left hand was an onyx with a lapis lazuli gem embedded on top. 

“The decreed hour has come,” he spoke in a low but powerful voice. “Set forth with my blessing, Prince Noctis.” The four boys bowed to him. 

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Noctis replied. 

“Take you leave and go in the grace of the gods.” The boys rose up, though Noctis looked uneasy.

“Right.” As they left the room, the young prince took another look at his father. Regis held his head in his hands and sighed deeply. Noctis turned back and carried on walking. Outside the two towers of the Royal Citadel, the boys descended the staircase, decorated by a lavish red carpet. Near the entrance was a pristine black car, with silver wings painted on the doors. 

“Well, princes will be princes.” Prompto commented. 

“So much for royal protocol.” Ignis said. 

“It’s not like you had to deliver a former address.” Gladiolus inputted.

“Your majesty!” Noctis and the friends turned around to see the king and a bearded man, wearing a red leather jacket, supporting him. At this point, Noctis was beginning to grow impatient. 

“What now?” he asked sternly.

“I’m afraid I’ve left too much unsaid,” Regis uttered. “You place a great burden on those who would bear with you.”

“You’re one to talk.” Noctis scoffed. Regis turned his attention to Ignis, Gladio and Prompto.

“Listen boys, I ask that you not guide my wayward son. Only that you remain at his side.”

“Indeed, Your Grace,” Ignis addressed, bowing slightly.

“We’ll see the prince to Vale if it’s the last thing we do.” Gladio exclaimed.

“Yeah, what he said.” Prompto chimed in.

“Well I hate to break it to you, but Nyx’s got the motor running.” Noctis informed them. He gave his father and his aid a two finger salute before approaching the car. “Drautos, he’s in your hands.”

“And another thing,” Regis spoke once more. “Do mind your manners around the professors at Beacon.” Noctis turned to his father and gave him a mock bow. 

“Your majesty, as well. Try to mind yours around the King of Niflheim once he gets here.”

“You have no cause for concern,” Regis smiled.

“Nor do you.”

“Take care on the long road, for wherever you go, the line of Lucis goes with you.” Placing one more hand on Noctis’s shoulder, Regis looked into his son’s eyes and smiled proudly. “Walk tall, my son.”

* * *

Prompto was in the driver’s seat of the car as he cruised along the beautiful landscape of Lucis. He always dreamed of owning a car and even if it was only temporary, he was living his dream. Gladio looked back at the passenger’s seat and noticed the prince looking sullen. 

“Noct?” he asked. “Everything okay?” Noctis turned around and nodded ever so slightly.

“He’s always been like that, Gladio.” Prompto spoke. “Ever since I’ve known him, he’s had that scowl.”

“What? I’m not scowling.” Noctis jumped.

“Well clearly something’s bothering you.” Ignis chimed in. “Care to tell us, Your Highness?”

Noctis sighed. Guess there wasn’t much to avoid it. “It just seems a little weird. All of this is happening so fast; we’re getting invited to attend Beacon ahead of the other transfer students for the Vytal Festival and I later find out from dad that I’m to marry Luna in the summer of next year.”

“True. That is a lot to bear for a young man.”

“Speaking of Lunafreya, when did you guys meet?” asked Prompto.

“Hmm. It was about 8 years ago, I think.” Noctis answered. 

“That would’ve made you guys 7 years old. Wow, you’ve known each other that long!”

“I hope she hasn’t gotten her hopes up.” Gladio snickered. 

Noctis raised an eyebrow. “Why not?”

“Try and keep it together when you meet her.”

“She’ll expect to see a fine young prince.” Ignis quipped.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Noctis sighed. Suddenly, a loud crack was heard and the car began to slow down. 

“Uh oh.” Prompto uttered.

“What do you mean ‘uh oh?’” Gladio piped.

“I think I know.” Noctis said. They came to a complete stop as the car broke down. To make matters worse, it appeared they were stuck in the middle of nowhere.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure everything will be okay.” Prompto suggested.

Two hours had passed and the roasting sun was beating down them. They had already pushed the car further along, when Gladio decided it would be easier to hitchhike. Plenty of cars and trucks drove past, but none answered his pleas. Eventually, he gave up. 

“Well, I guess we can forget about hitching our way there.” he scoffed. “I thought people were supposed to be friendly outside the city.” 

From the driver’s seat, Ignis shook his glumly. “We can only go so far on the kindness of strangers.”

“It looks like we’re gonna have to keep pushing her over there.”

“I already pushed myself… to the brink of death!” gasped Prompto, lying on the floor. Beside him was Noctis, sitting and leaning his head on the back of the car. Gladio rolled his eyes and lightly kicked at them to get them to stand. With their hands on the car, they all strained as they used all their weight to push along. 

“Un-believable!” Noctis grunted.

“Not exactly a fairytale beginning, eh Prince Noctis?” Gladio chuckled. Unlike the other two, he didn’t seem to be struggling at all. In fact, it was quite possible that he could do the work by himself.

“We let ourselves get carried away.” said Ignis.

“Look,” Prompto laughed nervously. “These things happen.”

“Well let’s just hope that this isn’t some omen.” Gladio muttered.

Noctis gritted his teeth in frustration and pain. “Gladio, do me favor?!”

“What?” replied the burly teen.

“Push this thing by yourself!”

“All by myself?!”

“He won’t even notice if we just let go.” Prompto whispered, as he was about to lift his hands off the rear.

“Prompto, don’t even think about it!”

“Save some breath for pushing, you three.” Ignis quietly ordered them. Though he felt bad for having them do the heavy lifting, Ignis had to admit that he was enjoying himself. It was pretty rare that he got the time to relax. 

“Ugh, my hands are killing me.” Prompto whined.

“Would you rather I killed you with mine?” Gladio grunted. 

“Easy there, tough guy.”

“Any luck with a signal?” Noctis called out. Ignis, scroll in hand, shook his head in dismay.

“Busy, I’m afraid, Noct.” he answered. Noctis looked all around the scenery and he couldn’t help but feel a little admiration. He was finally outside the city of Insomnia after all these years and though he could only see a rocky terrain and the open road, it was his first step to exploring the wider world.

“The world’s a big old place,” he said to himself.

* * *

After several miles of pushing, sweating and panting the four boys finally made it to an outpost station. The sign read  _ Hammerhead _ and they could see a small diner, corner shop, garage and fuel station. Prompto’s lips twisted into a smile.

“Finally… we made it.” he wheezed before he collapsed to the floor. Noctis followed suit, earning disappointed looks from Gladio and Ignis.

“Really? Pushing a car is all it takes to get you two exhausted?”

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Ignis informed his friends. “We still need to get the Regalia fixed. Luckily, I managed to call the mechanic earlier. She should be here shortly.” As if on cue, the garage door opened and out popped a young woman. She had olive green eyes and wore an orange cap over short blonde hair, along with a bright yellow jacket, black gloves, orange crop top with jean-shorts and white boots. Prompto was instantly enamoured by her beauty, while Noctis looked dazed. The woman smiled and greeted them with glee.

“Hey there! Y’all kept a girl waitin’. Now, which one’s the prince?” Noctis raised his hands as he lifted himself from the floor. “Well isn’t it just a pleasure to meet ya? Congrats on the wedding.”

“Not quite hitched yet.” The prince responded plainly. 

“Ah, I see. Lady Lunafreya’s groom-to-be here in Hammerhead, who would’ve thought it?”

“Apologies for taking so long.” Ignis interjected. The peppy mechanic shook her head and smiled. 

“You best save your apologies for Paw-paw.” 

“And that makes you..?” Gladio asked. 

“Cindy.” she answered. “Cid’s grease-monkey granddaughter.” 

“Roll ‘er in while I’m still young!” an old man shouted. Like Cindy, he wore an orange cap over his greying hair, along with a matching orange jacket over his white and blue polo-shirt, blue jeans and black gloves and boots. As he approached the Regalia, a glint appeared in his hazel eyes. He then turned to Noctis and smirked at him.

“Prince Noctis.” he said. “‘Prince’. Like they took your old man and kicked the dignity out of him.” 

“Wait what?!” Noctis was perplexed by Cid’s comments towards him. It almost sounded like he was mocking his father.

“You boys have a long way to go and that slack jaw’s gettin’ ya nowhere fast.” Cid slightly tapped the bumper and grunted. “She’s gonna be a while, why don’t y’all her in and run along?” Prompto groaned at the thought of more pushing, but a swift and across the head from Gladiolus was more than enough to convince him. Once the Regalia was in the garage, Cindy directed the boys towards the local diner for some breakfast. As soon as they opened the door, they were greeted to a lovely cool breeze. Prompto almost leapt for joy.

“Finally, some nice cool air!” he said. 

“Well, let’s not stand around waiting, find a table and we can get started.” Noctis, Gladio and Prompto made their way to a table near the entrance while Ignis went to the counter to place their orders. 

“Hello there, stranger,” greeted the server, “What can I do for you?” Ignis looked at the menu and pondered at all the different choices. “I’d recommend our famous hot sandwiches. They have a bit of a kick, but plenty of flavour!” 

“I see,” Ignis responded. “In that case, I’ll take four of those, three bottles of cola and a cup of ebony coffee please.”

“Certainly. Altogether, that about comes to 18 lien.” Ignis rifled through his wallet, but found that the contents were completely bare. His face became pale. 

“Is there a problem?” The server asked.

Ignis tensed up and sighed. “Cancel that order, I’m sorry to have troubled you.” Leaving the counter, he made his way back to the table.

“What happened to the food?” asked Gladio. 

“It appears we’ve expanded the last of the funds on the repairs.” The three boys’ jaws nearly dropped to the floor.

“What?!” yelled Prompto.

“Are you serious?!” grunted Gladio.

“Great,” Noctis hissed. “Broken down and flat broke.”

“Adding insult to injury.” Ignis added. 

Clenching his fists, Gladio rose from his seat promptly exited the diner, with the others following suit. 

“The old man’s in for it after charging us that much!”

“Yeah, let’s pay him a visit.” Noctis muttered.  Meeting up with Cindy, the boys explained their dilemma. Her usual cheerful smile was replaced with a frown of sympathy and disappointment.

“Oh, now I get it. This must be what Paw-paw meant when he said he was gonna “teach them boys a lesson.” Told me he oughta have y’all take care of some ornery varmints that’ve been causin’ a ruckus ’round here.” With a cheeky grin, Cindy took out her wallet. “I’d be happy to pay y’all for your services if you’re up for the challenge. How ’bout it?”

Noctis pondered for a moment. Hunting wasn’t the most ideal solution to this ordeal, especially considering what they had to do to get here. But it looked like there wasn’t much choice. He agreed to hunt the local pests, much to Cindy’s delight. 

“The old man’s got his eye on you, Noct.” Gladio chuckled. “Let’s show him what we’ve got.” From the garage, the boys collected their luggage and unpacked their weapons. Gladio’s was a large claymore, with a flat surface and two sharp edges. Prompto wielded a silver revolver with a black handle and Ignis carried two silver daggers, with curved blades. Seeing his entourage equipped, Noctis followed suit. He held out his hand for a moment and his eyes glowed blue. Suddenly, a blue light surrounded his hand and a single-edged sword appeared. The crossguard appeared to have several different parts resembling an old engine. 

“Show off.” Prompto joked. Crossing the empty roads, the boys took their journey south of the outpost station and into the dry grasslands. From a few feet away, they could see their targets; several large scorpions clawing at each other. The sight was quite sinister, making Prompto wince in disgust.

“Are you sure we should do something about this?” he asked. “At the rate this fight is going, I wouldn’t be surprised if they killed themselves.”

“I’m not fond of this as much as the next guy,” Noctis said. “But it’s the only thing we got.” Taking a step forward, he smirked. “Besides, I could really use some exercise.” With everyone ready, Noctis made the first move. He threw his sword straight at one of the scorpions and suddenly vanished in a flash of blue light. As the sword struck the creature, the blue light returned, and Noctis along with it. In a swift motion, the scorpion was sliced in half. This alerted the others and they began to swarm the young prince. One of them jumped high in the air, raising its tail to strike. However, it was shot down in an instant and Noctis could hear whistling nearby.

“All in bullet time, baby!” Prompto quipped. Ignis, meanwhile, was making quick work of the pests, swiftly slicing and piercing them with the daggers. Gladio simply slammed his claymore to the ground, crushing several of them at once. In no time, the work was finished. 

“Not bad for a light workout.” Gladio said. “What’s next?” Soon, they encountered more pests. From the gnarly sparkshears beetles, to the return of the jaggertail scorpions. The boys, however, didn’t seem to break a sweat, having been trained under the Headmaster of Seraph Academy, Cor Leonis. The ground was littered with carapaces and Ignis gritted his teeth in disgust.

“A rather uncivilised end.” he groaned. “Still, this should be enough to cover our losses.” Suddenly, his scroll began to ping. 

“What is it, Iggy?” asked Prompto.

“It appears we have yet another hunt on our hands,” he replied.. “A creature, known as a dualhorn, has been terrorising some of the local hunters. Cindy says she’ll pay double for our efforts.” A smirk crossed Gladio and Prompto’s lips, while Noctis just shrugged. So much for ‘easy money.’ “Cindy has sent us the location. I suggest we follow the trail.” With their weapons in tow, the boys headed onwards. They found a spot behind a large rock and took cover. Noctis took a glance at the beast. It appeared to have thick, green scales and, true to its name, two large horns protruding from the side of its skull. 

“So what’s the plan?” asked Prompto, loading his gun. 

“Well, charging in blind would be suicide,” Noctis said.

“Indeed,” Ignis agreed. “It’s also heavily armoured. I doubt our weapons could even make so much as a scratch on it.”

“So is there any way to kill it?” Gladio asked. Noctis looked again, paying extra attention to its legs. A smile formed on his face. He had the perfect plan. 

“There’s no armour under its legs,” he informed them. “If Gladio can knock it to its side, we can strike the belly and kill it.” Gladio gave a chuckle. 

“Well, look who’s been paying attention in classes.”

“Hey! I pay plenty of attention!” The prince objected.

“Yeah, yeah.” Claymore in hand, Gladio carefully crept up to the dualhorn. But as he moved closer, he noticed something odd. The beast hadn’t moved from its spot. In fact, it didn’t appear to be moving at all. 

“Uh, guys?” Gladio called. “You might wanna come out here.” Leading his friends away from the rock, Noctis followed Gladio to the dualhorn. His eyes were wide with astonishment. Right in front of them was a dualhorn, laying on its side.

“Is it sleeping?” he asked.

“No way!” Prompto gaped. “If that’s the case, that makes this hunt much easier!”

“Hold on a moment.” Ignis said. “Before we engage, I need to check.”

“Check for what?” Ignis didn’t respond and walked towards the dualhorn. Placing his hand on its neck, he couldn’t feel a pulse. His suspicions were right. 

“I’m afraid it’s dead.” he told the others. The boys gazed with bewilderment. They missed their chance.

“Dead? Did somebody already claim the bounty?” Prompto asked.

“It would appear so.” Going around the front, Ignis examined the body. On the abdomen, he noticed several scratch marks and blood seeping from the wounds. Ignis gulped with discomfort. This was a fresh kill. Suddenly, a vicious snarl cracked the silence. Noctis eyes darted fiercely at his surroundings, his grip on his sword tightening. The snarling became louder and he heard Prompto scream.

“Beowolves!” Noctis turned to see a pack of large, black wolves approaching them. White bone spikes protruded from their backs and on their faces were white, skull-like masks. Their eyes were burning red, as were the markings running down from their masks. Facing the boys, the beowolves bared their fangs and charged, ready for the kill. With great force, Gladio swung his sword forward and cleaved one of the monsters in half. 

“Well guys,” he panted. “Looks like we have our first taster as Huntsmen in training.”

“Indeed,” retorted Ignis. “Time to put our skills to the test.” One of the beowolves tried to lunge at Noctis, but he simply vanished and reappeared behind the beast, stabbing it in the back. Trying his best to stop shaking, Prompto took his aim at the pack and began to fire away. Several of them fell with a thud. Ignis, meanwhile, made several light slashes at four of the beowolves that had circled him, all while carefully avoiding their sharp claws. Though adept with fighting, he moved with the grace of a dancer. Gladio made sure to end his fight quickly by lunging his sword and slicing them to pieces. The last few were handled by Noctis, who used the flat of his blade to parry the claws. Once he found an opening, he stabbed the beasts in the chest. The last of them tried to sneak behind him, claws ready to strike. But the prince was much faster and decapitated it in one, clean swing. Their ordeal was finally over and the beasts were slain. Black smoke emanated from their bodies as they began crumbling to ash. 

“Wow.” Prompto gasped, collapsing to the floor. “So that’s what Grimm are like.”

“They definitely made this day more interesting, I can tell you that.” Gladio said, cleaning black ash from his blade. A ringing noise was heard from Noctis’s scroll and he answered the call. 

“Hello?”

“ **Hey there, Your Highness,** ” Cindy chirped. “ **How goes the huntin’?** ” 

“It was… interesting.” Noctis replied. “We actually encountered Grimm along the way.”

“ **Oh. Yeah, those Grimm are a real nasty bunch. Unfortunately, we don’t have any local Huntsmen available at the moment.** ” Noctis became sullen. Without any Huntsmen, the Grimm were sure to cause more harm to the people here. “Anyway, I called to let you know that your car is ready. She’ll be waitin’ at the garage. I’ve also got your payment waitin’ too!”

“Gotcha. Thanks Cindy.” Noctis replied. With a glow of blue light, the weapons the boys all carried disappeared and they made their journey back to the station. They returned to find Cindy applying wax on the car and Cid with some canisters, all bearing an emblem of a lightning bolt. 

“My, my. Ain’t she purdy?” Cindy beamed. 

“Sure is,” said Prompto, blushing at the sight of Cindy.

“She’s almost too pretty for the road.” said Gladio. Admiring the beauty of the newly fixed Regalia, Prompto took out his camera and gave it to Cindy. 

“How about it, Noct? Wanna take a picture?” asked the blonde, almost jumping for joy.

“Sure, why not?” Noctis responded. The four boys all posed for the camera; Ignis and Gladio stood either side by the front doors, while Noctis and Prompto sat down at the front of the car. With the picture taken and car fixed, the boys were ready for their next destination; Galdin Quay. Aside from being a famous beach resort, it was also the key to set sail to Vale. Before they could drive off, Cindy approached Noctis with a stack of lien. 

“As promised, here’s your pay,” she said. “2000 lien, enough for four o’ya!”

“Thanks Cindy.” Noctis said. Waving goodbye, the boys set their destination for Galdin Quay. 

“So what’s the time now?” Noctis asked. 

“It’s almost 12 o’clock,” Ignis replied, checking his watch. “We still have many hours to spare.” Noctis lay back and closed his eyes. After the morning they had, it was time for a much needed nap.

* * *

**Present**

* * *

With everyone in their pyjamas, they proceeded to get some sleep for the following day. Or they would have if it wasn’t for Noctis and Prompto taking out their scrolls and playing the latest game, King’s Knight.

“What do you say, Noct? Fancy a game” Prompto asked. 

“In King’s Knight? Hell yeah!” Noctis replied.

“In that case, why don’t I join you?” Gladio chimed in, taking out his scroll.

“Sweet!” Prompto yelped “The more, the merrier!” 

“Children.” Ignis moaned, laying his head down flat on his pillow. “I’m surrounded by children.” 


	3. Dreamer

“Jaune. Jaune, wake up!” A blonde-haired boy shot up from the bar. His hair was dishevelled and his yellow t-shirt was wrinkled. Standing beside him was a young, black-haired woman, wearing a red t-shirt that read ‘7th Heaven’, 

“Sorry, Rouge,” he slurred. “I didn’t get much sleep last night.” Shaking her head, Rouge flicked his nose. 

“Ow!” he squeaked. “What was that for?”

“You’re always staying up late and waking up all tired!”

“Well I’m sorry, but it’s the only time I get to practice,” he replied. “Every other day, I’m working here.”

“That’s kind of how it works, Jaune. This our job after all.” With nothing to say after that, Jaune left the bar and started getting the tables ready. In a matter of minutes, all the tables were clean and the chairs were tucked in. The only thing left to do was bring in the drinks. 

“Hey Rouge, are we gonna be serving up our special cider today?” Jaune asked.

“As soon as I can get the apples, we will.” she replied. 

“Oh! I can do that!” 

“You know where the orchard is?” Jaune nodded his head. Though hesitant, Rouge decided to let him go. Jaune cheered to himself and ran upstairs to his room. Sitting atop of the bed was a red-coloured dog, with a mohawk mane. Jaune smiled and reached out to pet him. He licked his hand in response and wagged his tail with joy.

“Hey there, Red,” Jaune chuckled. “Today’s a busy day today.” He knelt to the floor and rummaged under his bed, pulling out a broadsword sheathed in white. It was the family sword, Crocea Mors, handed down from Arc to Arc. Jaune clipped it to his belt and set off for the outside, though not before being stopped by Rouge. 

“Don’t you plan on getting into any trouble while you’re out.” she warned him.

“I’ll be fine, you don’t have to worry.” Jaune replied. With a quick wave, he left the tavern and walked along the eastern path. It was a good thing that the orchard wasn’t too far from his house. More apples meant more cider for them. At the gate of the orchard was a sign that read _Pomme_. This was definitely the right spot. He opened the gate and was greeted by an elderly couple.

“Bonjour Jaune.”

“Bonjour Monsieur et Madam Pomme,” he greeted back. “How are you doing this fine morning?”

“Very good,” answered Mr. Pomme. “So what can I get for you today?” 

“Some of your finest cider apples, please?” Mr. Pomme smiled.

“Coming right up.” He led Jaune further into the orchard to a group of small trees. The apples were perfectly ripe for the taking. With a sack in hand, Jaune started picking. One by one, the apples were filling the sack until they reached the brim. Mr. Pomme gave a low whistle.

“That’s quite the bunch you got there, son,” he chuckled.

“Well with Fall on the way, we need as many as we can get.” Jaune said. “Okay, so how much for the apples?”

“No charge at all.” Mr. Pomme quickly responded. Jaune shook his head in disappointment,

“Please sir, these are a lot of apples. I insist.” He was about to reach for his wallet until Mrs. Pomme placed her hand on his shoulder.

“And we insist that you take these apples off our hands, no charge, my dear.” she said. “Your family have been very good to us ever since they arrived here. Your father, uncle and aunt have kept the Grimm at bay. Your money wasn’t needed then. It’s not not needed now.”

“But-”

“But nothing,” Mr. Pomme interrupted. “It’s on the house like it was for your father. Please Jaune, for us.”

“Oh alright,” Jaune sighed. “Can I at least expect you two to pop down to 7th Heaven later?”

The elderly couple smiled. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, my dear.” Mrs. Pomme responded. Jaune hoisted the heavy sack on his shoulder, but grunted under the weight. Mr. Pomme couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Need a hand there?” 

“Yes.., please…” Jaune strained. Mr Pomme set the sack down and decided to show the young man the proper method.

“The trick is to lift with your legs and hold it from the bottom. That way you won’t throw out your back.”

“Thanks Mr. Pomme,” said Jaune with a smile. Following the method, he carried the sack away from the orchard and walked back to the tavern alongside Mr. Pomme while Mrs. Pomme waved goodbye. 

“So Jaune? How is the tavern doing?” asked Mr. Pomme.

“Just fine. I think Mom trusts Rouge to take over someday,” Jaune said. “It’s pretty good money too.”

“What about yourself? Anything new going on in your life? Maybe a girl?” 

“Mr. Pomme!” Jaune blushed beet red. The old man laughed heartily. “Well… no not really. Hopefully one day, though.”

“Take it from me, you will find a girlfriend in no time at all.” Jaune raised an eyebrow. 

“And how would you know that?”

“Have you _seen_ your family, Jaune? They’re the best looking people in the village and that includes you. Hell, I bet the Mrs that an army of girls storming 7th Heaven just to see you. ”

“Can we please move on to a different subject?” Jaune deflected nervously. 

“Well, okay. Sorry. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

“That’s okay. Right now, I want to follow in Dad’s footsteps and become a Huntsman.”

“I was wondering about the sword hanging on your belt. Your family must be proud of you.” Jaune’s face turned gloomy. 

“Yeah,” he muttered under his breath. “Proud.” They arrived at the tavern and Jaune waved goodbye as Mr. Pomme set off back home. 

“I’m back,” Jaune said as he entered. At one of the tables, another black-haired was setting up the tables. Like Jaune and Rouge, she too had a 7th Heaven t-shirt, only hers was green. She looked at the sack of apples and her jaw dropped.

“That’s quite a lot of apples there, bro.” she said. “With any luck, they should last us the whole month.”

“You know it, Verde.” said Jaune, letting out a sigh of relief as he finally put the sack down. Rouge appeared from the bar and gave a big smile.

“Well look who proved useful after all,” she teased. Jaune rolled his eyes and snorted. 

“Very funny. How’s everything at the back?” 

“Marlene and Betty are giving the kitchen a good clean. You wanna give them a hand?” Jaune nodded his head. “Excellent. Okay,” Rouge clapped her hands together. “I want all hands on deck today! Let’s give our customers a damn good service!”

“YEAH!” Jaune and Verde cheered.

* * *

The afternoon shift was quite a rush. From table to table, Jaune hopped over to take their food and drink orders while Verde and Rouge were on bartender duty. It was a good thing 7th Heaven was only a small tavern. Lord help them otherwise. After getting in one more round of drinks for some customers, Jaune looked at the clock and saw that it was half past 12. With a smirk, an idea came to him.

“Hey Rouge, I’m gonna go take a lunch break. Is that okay?” he asked. 

“Huh? But what about the tables? They aren’t going to wait themselves, you know.”

“Relax, I’ll take care of it,” Verde chimed in. “Jaune’s been working hard all day, I’m sure a little rest won’t hurt.”

“Well okay,” Rouge relented. “But make sure you come straight back.”

“Got it,” Jaune left and walked a little away from the tavern. He drew his sword and smiled to himself. The weight felt perfectly balanced in his hand and the blade was so shiny that he could see his reflection in it. In his other hand, the sheath transformed into a heater shield, with two golden crests decorated on the front. Jaune took a deep breath and shifted into a knight’s fighting stance; knees bent, body tilted to one side and his shield held in front of him.

“Okay,” he whispered. “Just like I practiced.” Keeping his grip tight, he swung the sword three times, taking a step forward on each swing. 

“Ha! Yah! Ha!” Jaune finished with forward thrust of his blade. “Not bad, but it needs to be faster.” Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream filled the air, alerting him. The sound came from near the orchard and Jaune’s blood ran cold.

“Oh no.” In a fit of haste and foolishness, he rushed over to the orchard, nearly tripping over. Jaune found Mr and Mrs Pomme on the ground, surrounded by a group of lizard-like Grimm. Jaune’s eyes were searing with anger.

“Get away from them, you monsters!” He yelled. The Grimm snarled and hissed, setting their sights on the young man. With a mighty battle cry, Jaune raced forward and charged at them. He slammed into the first one with the shield and swung the sword at the others. 

“Yah! Hah! Aaaagh!” he grunted. Though he managed to lay a few scratches and grazes, the strikes were unfortunately ineffective. The black lizards began to retaliate, dragging their talons across the dirt and charging at him in an attempt to knock him down. Thankfully, Jaune kept his guard up with the shield, even managing to push some of them back.

“Jaune, get out of here you idiot!” Mr Pomme yelled.

“It’s not safe!” Mrs Pomme screamed. “You’ll be killed!” Jaune ignored them Without even a second to think, he lunged forward and stabbed two of the creatures in the chest. The victory was short lived, however, as another Grimm attacked him from the side and bit into his arm. Jaune screamed in pain, trying to throw it off. But more of them surrounded him and they charged at him again, this time succeeding in knocking him down. He tried to get up but the Grimm bared their claws and scratched him severely. His shirt was ripped and stained with his blood. Agonizing sceams filled the air and Mrs Pomme closed her eyes in horror. Just when all hope seemed lost, an arrow pierced the skull of one of the Grimm. They scrambled across the ground and several more shots were fired, each one hitting its target. The Grimm were slain, crumbling to ash. Panting and gritting his teeth, Jaune looked up to find Rouge, bow and arrow in hand, with a very worried look on her face. She helped Mrs Pomme up to her feet while Mr Pomme hoisted up Jaune.

“I’ll take it from here, thank you.” Rouge said. She took a good look at her brother and her eyes went wide with disbelief. Jaune’s chest and arms were bleeding from the scratches, his trousers were all tattered and torn and it looked like his ankle was sprained too. Rouge hoisted Jaune up, carrying the sword by her side. 

“Rouge, before you say anything, I-”

“Not a word until we get back.” she hissed

* * *

Back in his room, he was fed a very bitter medicine by Verde, while Rouge covered her face in her hands.

“What the hell were you thinking?” she muffled. “I ask you not to get into trouble and look at what happened! You could’ve gotten yourself killed!”

“I-I’m sorry Rouge,” he whimpered, his eyes filling with tears.

“You shouldn’t even be fighting with the family sword anyway! You’re not a Huntsmen, nor have you trained to be one! Hell, you don’t even have your aura unlocked!” Jaune had enough.

“I was trying to save someone, Rouge!” he shouted. “If I wasn’t there, they could’ve died. It’s the duty of a Huntsman to protect the innocent! Was I supposed to do nothing?!”

Rouge gave a heavy sigh. “Of course not, Jaune.” she sat next to him and put her arm over his shoulder. “Look, I’m glad you took action and saved the Pommes but you should’ve called me or Verde to deal with it. Your aspiration to be a Huntsman is admirable and it’s good to have a goal, but it’s not something we think is right for you.” Jaune turned to his sister and looked at her in disbelief. He felt like his heart had been ripped out. 

“How can you say that after what our entire family has been through? After our grandparents and their grandparents before shaped this family on being Huntsmen and Huntresses? ” Jaune moped. Finally, Verde broke her silence.

“Because the life of a Huntsman isn’t as easy as just saving people. It’s dangerous and there’s a chance you may not get out of it alive. Mom and Dad were some of the lucky ones, others don’t have that luxury.” Jaune hung his head in shame. He never really stopped to think about the potential risks that came with choosing to be a Huntsman. 

“I think it’s best that you don’t help out today,” she said softly. “Make sure to get some rest. Rouge and I will take it from here.” Jaune nodded reluctantly. Both sisters hugged him and left the room. Red meanwhile jumped on the bed, determined to keep his master company. Jaune gave a sad smile as he petted him. 

“Thanks Red.” he whispered. The rest of the day passed and it was almost evening. Red had moved to the floor, sleeping away. Jaune was still awake, however. His mind was racing with thoughts on what to do. He looked over to the door where Crocea Mors was hung. Jaune knew his sisters were right, but he also knew that he was meant for far bigger things than just being a simple bartender. The Arcs came from a long line of Huntsmen. It was time he joined the family business. Rushing over to his desk, he grabbed a pen and paper and began to write. Several minutes had passed until he was finished. He put the paper into an envelope and sealed it. Jaune then started to pack his belongings into a backpack; pyjamas, boots, a map, his medicine, an extra set of clothes and his wallet. He took out his scroll and clicked the name ‘Barrett.’

“Hello, Uncle Barrett,” Jaune spoke into the scroll. “I have a favour to ask; I’m going to Beacon Academy in Vale and I need you to drop me off to Arcadia.”


	4. Welcome to Beacon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, last edit!!! I promise!!!

Three days had passed since the incident with Roman Torchwick and Ruby couldn’t have been any more nervous if she tried. She still couldn’t believe that she was offered to attend Beacon Academy now. Usually, she would’ve had to graduate from Signal, but it seems like fate had a different plan for her in mind. At the airship station, both her dad and sister nearly suffocated her with hugs.

“I’m so proud of you!!!” Tai squealed. Ruby’s face was turning blue.

“Really dad, it was nothing.” she wheezed. "C-can you please let go now?!"

“Oh sorry, sweetheart.” Tai said, breaking the hug.

“It wasn’t nothing, Rubes!” Yang shouted excitedly. “It was incredible! You getting into Beacon by beating up Torchwick? Badass! Now everyone’s going to think you’re the bee’s knees!” Ruby’s face blushed red and she balled her fists in frustration.

“But I don’t want to be the bee’s knees or any kind of knees!” she moaned. “I just want to be a normal girl with normal knees!”

“What’s with you?” Yang asked, confused. “Beacon’s been your dream since you were a kid. Aren’t you excited?”

“Of course I’m excited, Yang. It’s just that I got moved ahead two years and I just don't want people to think I’m special.” Tai smiled and held Ruby close.

“But you are special,” Tai said earnestly. “And I have no doubt that you’re going to do well at Beacon.” Ruby smiled at her dad and sister. The TV overhead was playing the latest headlines, alerting the family.

“ **The robbery was led by nefarious criminal Roman Torchwick,** ” said a news reporter, showing a mugshot of the infamous criminal. “ **Who continues to evade authorities. If you have any information on his whereabouts, please contact the Vale Police Department. Back to you, Lisa.** ” The camera switched to a news room, where a woman dressed in purple was sitting.

“ **Thank you, Cyril.** ” she said. “ **In major news today, after 30 years, the Vytal Festival is set to return this May and for the first time, the Kingdom of Niflheim will be competing. We have recently had an interview with the king himself, Iedolas Aldercapt, and this is what he had to say.** ” The camera then switched to an elaborate white throne room, where an elderly, bearded man with silver hair sat. He was dressed in a white robe with a large collar and red trim. 

“ **It is such an honour to be finally able to take part in the Vytal Festival,** ” he said, smiling. “ **For too long, Remnant has been engulfed in war and no one was benefitting. Not Niflheim, not Lucis and certainly not the other nations. But enough is enough. It is time for a new era of peace and what better way to show that than by having us open our arms to new allies.** ” The camera once again cut back to the newsroom.

“ **The peace treaty between Lucis and Niflheim is expected to be signed in the Summer of next year, along with the royal wedding between Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum and Princess Lunafreya Nox Fleuret.** ” A picture was shown of Noctis dressed in a jet black suit and of Lunafreya in a beautiful white dress and her blonde hair tied into a ponytail. Yang and Ruby’s eyes were fixated over the TV.

“Wow,” Yang purred. “He cleans up nice.”

“You think he’ll show up at the Vytal Festival?” Ruby asked. 

“Probably not,” said Tai. “He doesn’t strike me as the type who’d see any action.” Soon, it was time to board the airship. Yang and Ruby gave Tai one last hug and boarded the ship. When they got inside, their jaws dropped. The ship was packed with people all geared up and ready to go. Ruby could hardly contain her excitement, making Yang laugh. At the center of the ship, a hologram of Glynda appeared. 

“ **Hello, and welcome to Beacon,** ” the hologram spoke. “ **My name is Glynda Goodwitch. You are among others who have received the honor of being selected to attend this prestigious academy. Our world is experiencing an incredible time of peace, and as future Huntsmen and Huntresses, it is your duty to uphold it. You have demonstrated the courage needed for such a task, and now it is our turn to provide you with the knowledge and the training to protect our world.** ” The ship began to rumble as it took off. Many of the attendees rushed to the window, including Ruby and Yang. The young redhead was in awe at the view, smiling with joy.

“Look! There’s Signal!” she shouted, pointing in the direction. “I guess home isn’t too far after all.”

“Beacon’s our home now.” Yang said. After a few minutes, Yang was getting bored, so she decided to explore the ship for a while. She walked around, greeting many potential students and earning groans from them for telling terrible jokes. She was having such a good time that she didn’t notice when she bumped into someone.

“Oof!” she muttered. “Oh I’m sorry, I didn't-” she was lost for words when she saw who was in front of her; a tall muscular boy with a dark brown mullet. Scar aside, he was quite looking. “Oh my!” Yang exclaimed. 

“I could say the same thing about you, beautiful,” Gladio said, giving her a cheeky smile. Yang chuckled at his compliment. Attractive and good with words. She liked him already.

“You flatter me,” she said. “So what’s your name, or would you prefer it if I called you the ‘handsome stranger’?”  
  


“Very tempting,” he responded. “But I’d prefer to give you my name. Gladiolus Amicitia, but you can call me Galdio for short.”

“Yang Xiao Long, a pleasure to meet you.”

“The pleasure’s all mine, beautiful.” Yang was quite surprised. She never met a guy or girl who could match her flirting skills. However, she’d be lying if she said she wasn’t enjoying it. 

“Keep it up and I might just take you on a date.” she replied. 

“Oh, I’ll look forward to it.” A loud groan erupted over the ship, alerting them both. Next to Gladio sat two very unamused boys, Prompto and Ignis. 

“Are you done yet, Gladio? All that sweet talk is giving me a headache.”

“You’re just jealous because I have better game than you.”

“That is so not true!” Prompto yelled. Ignis simply shook his head, cracking an amusing smile. 

“Apologies for our friend’s rude interruption, Miss Xiao Long,” he greeted. “Our names are Ignis Scientia and Prompto Argentum.”

“Hi there!” Prompto waved.

“Nice to meet you guys,” said Yang. “So what brings you here to Beacon?”

“We’re actually here for the Vytal Festival,” Prompto answered, earning a confused look from Yang.

“Now? But don’t transfer students usually attend during November?”

“We were wondering the same thing ourselves, actually,” Ignis spoke. “Still have yet to receive an answer.”

“Yang! Yang!” called out Ruby. “Where are you?” Yang waved at her sister, signalling her to come over. “Where were you, I was looking for you everywhere.”

“It’s a small ship, Rubes. I’m surprised you missed me so easily.” she chortled, causing Ruby to pout. “Anyway, I’d like you to meet some new friends of mine; Prompto, Ignis and the cute one, Gladio.” Gladio nodded on being called ‘cute’, much to Prompto’s annoyance.

“Oh hi there!” Ruby said. “I’m Ruby Rose, Yang’s sister.”

“Nice to meet you, Ruby!”

“Pleasure.”

“Hey...” Prompto stopped mid-greeting and stared at Ruby. 

“Um…” Ruby mumbled, confused at Prompto’s behaviour.

“Prompto, what are you doing?” asked Gladio. Prompto snapped his fingers and grinned.

“Now I know where I recognise you from!” he yelped. “You’re the girl that fought Roman Torchwick’s goons!” 

“You saw the news too?” Yang asked.

“Oh no, I caught the whole thing on video!” 

“Wait, what?!” Both girls yelled in excitement and fright.

"Here.” Prompto took out his scroll and showed them. Right there on the screen was Ruby, scythe in hand, combatting the villainous thugs. Seeing the event play out again caused her to blush bright red. Yang on the other hand, was smiling from ear to ear. It was one thing hearing about it, but to actually see it? Her little sister was truly incredible!

“Awesome!!!” Yang exclaimed. 

“I know, right?” agreed Prompto.

“You must be very proud of her, Yang.” Ignis said. “There’s not many who would go out of their way to stop an armed robbery like that.”

“Seems like we’ve got ourselves a real-life superhero.” Gladio chuckled, causing Ruby to blush even more.

“Prompto, you gotta send that to me.” Yang chirped. “I’m gonna upload it to RedStone now!”

“Noooo!!!” Ruby huffed, pulling down her hood. “I said I wanted normal knees!!!” 

“Come on, Rubes, think of how famous you could be!”

“Not to mention rich!” Prompto interjected. “With this baby, you’d be a millionaire in no time!” Ruby was about to object until she was pushed out of the way by a scraggly, blonde boy, who rushed over to the bins and vomited everywhere. Everyone on the ship cringed with disgust. 

“Well I guess the altitude isn’t for everyone.” Ignis commented.

“It was a nice conversation while it lasted.” Gladio said. 

“So… I wonder who else we’ll see here?” Yang asked, trying to divert attention. 

“I’m not sure but I hope they’re better than Vomit Boy over there.” said Ruby.

* * *

The airship finally landed and the influx of people rushed out the doors. Ruby was amazed at what she saw; a large, gorgeous, white and silver castle, with a tall, silver tower gazing over the courtyard. She heard tales of Beacon from her dad, but seeing it in person was even better. Stars were in her eyes.

“Wow!” Suddenly, something else caught her attention. Several students began showing their weapons to each other including swords, staves, axes, guns and bows. Ruby squealed with excitement.

“Look Yang, that boy’s got collapsible staff!!! Oooh, that girl’s got a fire sword!!!” Yang sighed, trying to hold her sister back.

“Easy there, they’re just weapons.”

“ _Just_ weapons?” Ruby gasped, offended. “They’re an extension of ourselves! They’re part of us! Oh they’re so cool!”

“Well, why can’t you nerd out over your own weapon?” Yang asked. “Aren’t you happy with it?” 

“Of course I’m happy with Crescent Rose, I just like seeing new weapons. It’s like meeting new people, but better!” Yang couldn’t help but laugh and she ruffled Ruby’s hair amusingly. 

“Come on, Ruby. Why don’t you try making some new friends here?” Ruby’s face turned glum. She didn’t think about how much she’d be giving up once she moved here. Arthur, Will, Ella and Sharon, she already missed them. A new school meant a new start, and Ruby was beginning to have doubts that she was ready for it.

“Um, why would I need friends when I have you?” As if on cue, Prompto, Gladio and Ignis showed up. In a flash, Yang raced over to them.

"Actually my friends are here!" she blurted, running with them to the entrance. "Got to go catch up. 'Kay, see ya, bye!"

“Hey wait!” Ruby shouted. “Where are you going? A-Are we supposed to go to our dorms? Where are our dorms? Do we have dorms? ” Ruby ran to catch up with them, only trip and fall face first onto the ground. “Oof!”

“What do you think you’re doing?!” came a shrill voice. Ruby looked up at a pale girl glaring daggers at her. She had white hair wrapped in a ponytail, a silver tiara with matching silver earrings, a short-sleeved blue blouse, white trousers and black high heels. Next to her were two carts with several suitcases and luggage. Ruby frantically stood up and dusted herself off, intimidated by the girl.

“I-I’m really sorry!” she stuttered. The girl, however, was still angry. 

“Sorry?!” she blurted. “Do you have any idea of the damage you could have caused?” Ruby didn’t say anything, too scared to talk back. The girl huffed and opened one of the suitcases. She took out a vial with a flame emblem and showed it to her. “This is Dust! Mined and purified from the Schnee Quarry in Atlas!” Ruby gulped hard, still not saying anything. At this point, the girl was beginning to lose her temper, more so than she already had. “What are you, brain dead? Dust! Fire! Water! Earth! Air! Lighting! Energy! Is any of this sinking into that skull of yours!” What she didn’t know was that the vial wasn’t sealed properly, causing some Dust to leak out. Unfortunately for Ruby, the Dust went up her nose and she sneezed directly in front of the white-haired girl, causing a small, fiery explosion. As the smoke cleared, the girl’s clothes were covered in soot.

“Oh no.” said Ruby, shaking with fear.

“My clothes!!!” the girl screamed. 

“I’m really, really sorry!”

“Ugh! You complete dolt! What are you even doing here? Aren't you a little _young_ to be attending Beacon?"

“Well, you see, I-”

“This isn't your ordinary combat school. It's not just sparring and practice, you know! We're here to fight monsters, so watch where you're going!” At this point, Ruby had enough and she fired back.

“I told you that I was sorry, princess!”

“It’s heiress, actually.” said a smooth, silky voice. They both turned to see a beautiful, raven-haired girl carrying a book in her hand. She wore a sleeveless, white crop top with a black, coattails vest, white shorts and long, black boots with a purple highlight at the end. Her forearms were wrapped in black bandages and she wore a black bow on her head.

“Heiress?” Ruby asked. The raven-haired girl nodded.

“Weiss Schnee, heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, one of the largest producers of energy propellant in the world.” 

“Finally some recognition.” said Weiss, with a smug smile on her face. The raven-haired girl glared at her.

“The same company that’s infamous for its controversial labour practices and rumours of war profiteering.” Weiss looked shocked, while Ruby giggled at her finally being told off. 

“Wha-! How dare-! Ugh!” Weiss could barely utter any words, having been taken aback by the raven-haired girl’s comments and she furiously stormed off. Ruby turned to her to introduce herself only to find that she left too. Feeling embarrassed and dejected, she slumped to the floor.

“Welcome to Beacon.” she sighed.

“Hey there.”

“Are you alright?” Standing over Ruby were two boys, one blonde and the other black-haired, both offering their hands to her. Smiling, she took them as they lifted her up.

“Thanks,” said Ruby. “I-I’m Ruby.”

“My name's Jaune,” introduced the blonde boy.

“Noctis,” replied the black-haired boy. A realisation came to Ruby upon hearing that name. It couldn’t be... could it? 

“Wait! Noctis as in _THE_ Noctis?!” she asked. “The Prince of Lucis!” Jaune blinked twice.

“Wait, you’re the _Prince_?!” Jaune followed. Noctis nodded.

“The one and only himself,” he responded. Ruby and Jaune quickly bowed.

"A pleasure to meet you, sir!" they both bellowed. Noctis shook his head. 

"It's okay, you don't have to be so formal." he said.

"B-But, you're a prince," Jaune stumbled. "We have to show respect!"

"Honestly, it's fine," Noctis spoke. "I'm not really fond of formal addresses. Just call me 'Noctis'."

"A-Are you sure?" Ruby asked. 

"Positive. Now lift up your heads, you're gonna hurt your necks." Ruby and Jaune did so, chuckling nervously. "Hey, wait minute,” he pointed at Ruby. “Aren't you the girl who beat up Torchwick?"

“That was you?!” gasped Jaune. Ruby groaned in frustration.

“Can people stop talking about that? It’s embarrassing!”

“Embarrassing? If I was known as the guy who took out Torchwick, I’d wear that badge with pride!”

“As opposed to being known as the guy who threw up on the ship?” Noctis interjected, sending Ruby in a giggling fit.

"I-In my defence, motion sickness runs in the family! It’s a very common problem in this day and age.”

“Look we’re sorry,” said Ruby, recovering from the giggles. “Vomit Boy was the first thing that came to mind.”

“Oh yeah? Well, what if I called you Crater Face?” Jaune hit back, grinning.

“Hey, that explosion was an accident!”

“Well the name’s Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. The ladies love it!”

Noctis snickered. “Do they?”

“They will!! Jaune responded defensively. “Or at least I hope they will.” Ruby, not knowing what else to do, took out her weapon and shifted it into scythe mode, making both of the boys jump.

“Woah!” Jaune exclaimed.

“Is that the scythe?!” Noctis asked. 

“It’s also a customisable, high-impact sniper rifle!” chirped Ruby, beaming with delight.

"That is seriously cool!" Jaune exclaimed.

"I'll say." seconded Noctis. Seeing it person was far better than on a screen. It sent shivers down his spine.

“So, what do you guys have?” asked Ruby. Raising his hand up, Noctis called forth his weapon, which appeared in a flash of blue light. Ruby almost dropped Crescent Rose and she and Jaune both stared wide eyed.

“You can summon yours?!” Jaune asked. Noctis nodded, trying to hide his grin. 

“That is so awesome!!!!!!” Ruby squealed. “How did you do that? Was that a Semblance?!” 

"Not exactly," he responded. "Let's just say it's a Lucian family secret."

"Wow!!!"

"So what exactly is it?" asked Jaune.

“It’s a prototype Dust-engine sword used in the Great War.” Noctis explained. “Dad got it for my birthday."

"Does it have a name?" Ruby asked earnestly. Noctis raised his eyebrow curiously.

"Uh... no?" Does it need to?"

"Of course it does!!" Ruby chirped "Weapons are like your children and must be treated as such! That includes giving them names!"

"...Okay, I'll keep that mind. What about you, Jaune? What do you have?”

Jaune felt hesitant to share his weapon with them. It wasn’t as impressive as either of theirs. Nevertheless, he decided to go for it, unsheathing his sword and transforming his shield.

“Well, here they are. A sword and shield.” Jaune said modestly. 

“Ooooh, what do they do?” Ruby asked.

“Oh, the shield gets smaller so that when I get tired of carrying it… I can just put it away.”

“Wouldn’t they weigh the same, though?” asked Noctis. Jaune nodded sullenly.

“Well I guess I went a little overboard in designing it. I’m kind of a sucker for weapons.” Ruby said.

“Wait, you made that?!” Jaune expressed disbelief. 

“Interesting.” Noctis commented. He was starting to enjoy Vale the longer he was here. 

“Of course! All students at Signal make their own weapons, didn’t you make yours Jaune?” Jaune shook his head.

“It’s a hand-me-down. My ancestor used it to fight in the war.”

“That sounds more like a family heirloom to me.” said Noctis.

“Well I like it!” Ruby exclaimed. “Not everyone has an appreciation for the classics these days.” That made Jaune smile. It was nice that he was able to make some new friends here. Noctis gestured to them to go forward, having realised that the other students were entering the building.

“Hey, um, so why did you two help me out back there?” Ruby asked nervously. Jaune and Noctis looked at each other and then back to Ruby.

“That crabby girl was being a nuisance and I just couldn’t stand by and let that happen.” Noctis said.

“My parents always told me to help those in need.” Jaune replied. Ruby smiled. It seemed like everything was going to work out after all. The amphitheatre was crowded. Ruby and Noctis scanned the place to see if they could find their peers. Noctis managed to find his friends and Ruby found Yang. 

“Well it was nice meeting you, Jaune, but I gotta go to my sister. I’ll see you later.” 

“My friends are over there, see you soon.”

“Hey wait, I- aw man!” Jaune groaned. Ruby and Noctis both walked over to their respective groups, glaring at them.

“Ah, Your Highness,” Ignis said. “So glad you could join us.”

“Why the hell didn’t you guys wake me up before you got off the ship?”

“We aren’t your babysitters, Noct.” Gladio said, rolling his eyes. “You’re going to have to start doing these things by yourself.”

“Yeah, when Boarbatusks fly.” Prompto laughed, causing Noctis to glare furiously. 

Meanwhile, Yang and Ruby were having their own disagreement. 

“So how’d your first day go, Rubes?” Yang asked.

“You mean when you ditched me and I exploded?!” Ruby screeched.

“Yikes, meltdown already?”

“No, I mean I _literally_ exploded, There was fire and it caused a crater in the middle of the courtyard!” Yang grinned at her.

“Are you being sarcastic?” 

“Ugh, I wish!” Ruby groaned. “I tripped over some crabby girl's luggage, and then she yelled at me, and then I sneezed, and then I exploded, and then she yelled at me again, and I felt really, really bad, and I just wanted her to stop yelling at me!”

“You!” came a familiar shrill voice. Weiss Schnee was next to them and she was not happy. 

“Oh god, it’s happening again!” 

“You're lucky we weren't blown off the side of the cliff!” 

“Oh god, you really exploded.” Yang muttered. 

“It was an accident, okay?” Ruby squeaked. Weiss appeared disinterested in her apology. Not wanting things to escalate any further, Yang decided to play mediator. 

“Look, maybe you two just got off on the wrong foot, why don’t you two start over?”

“Great idea, Yang! Hello Weiss, I’m Ruby. You wanna hang out? We can shop for school supplies.” 

“Yeah, and then we can paint our nails, try on clothes and talk about cute boys, like tall, blonde and scraggly over there!” replied Weiss, seemingly enthusiastic.

“Oh my god, really?” Ruby said excitedly.

“No.” Weiss said bluntly, making Ruby sad. Yang patted her back, reassuring her that she tried her best. At the podium, Headmaster Opzin arrived alongside Glynda. Staring blankly across the room, he spoke into the microphone. 

“I'll... keep this brief. You have travelled here today in search of knowledge, to hone your craft and acquire new skills, and when you have finished, you plan to dedicate your life to the protection of the people. But I look amongst you, and all I see is wasted energy, in need of purpose, direction. You assume knowledge will free you of this, but your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only carry you so far. It is up to you to take the first step.” With his speech over, he simply walked off the podium. 

“You will gather in the ballroom tonight,” Glynda informed them. “Tomorrow, your initiation begins. Be ready. You are dismissed.” The students murmured at the oddity that took place, Ruby was especially confused. Ozpin seemed different, a far cry from the caring man she met three days ago.

“He seemed kind of off, don’t you think?” Yang commented,

“Almost like he wasn’t even there.” Ruby responded. 

“By the way, who were those guys you were with earlier?” Yang asked, curious.

“Oh, Jaune and Noctis.” Yang’s jaw nearly dropped. 

“Wait… you mean to tell me you met _Noctis Lucis Caelum_?!” What Yang didn’t realise was how loud she spoke, alerting a crowd of girls towards the Prince’s direction.

“Uh oh,” Prompto commented. A collection of high-pitched squeals erupted in the amphitheatre and they swarmed Noctis and his friends like bees to honey. 

“Uhhh, guys?” Noctis hesitated. “A little help please?”

“Sorry, Noct!” grunted Gladio, as several girls crowded him and Ignis. “Kind of preoccupied ourselves here!”

“I’ve been trained in many things, Highness!” Ignis bellowed. “This was not one of them!”

“Oh my god, they’re wild animals!” Prompto rasped. “How do you deal with this everyday, Noct?”

“Welcome to my world!” More and more girls started piling up, all waiting to see the Prince up close.

“Oh my god, you’re even cuter in person!”

“Wow, your clothes are so stylish!”

“Can I come to Lucis with you? Pretty please?”

“Marry me!!!” Suddenly, a loud noise that sounded like a whip crack, echoed in the amphitheatre. Everyone turned in horror at the sight of Glynda Goodwitch, holding her riding crop. Her vicious green eyes glared at the girls.

“Enough!” she said in a calm, but firm voice. “While he is studying here, I ask that you do not disturb the Prince! Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes ma’am!” the girls all whimpered, running away Noctis, though thankful for the assistance, was terrified by Glynda’s glare.

“Um, t-thank you, P-Professor Goodwitch,” Noctis stuttered.

“It was no trouble at all, Your Highness,” Glynda said. “But just so you know, you will not be getting any special treatment while you’re here.” She pointed the riding crop in the direction of the boys’ faces, making them all gulp. “You may be royalty and transfer students, but while you are studying here, you are students just like the rest. Do I make myself clear?”

“YES PROFESSOR GOODWITCH, MA’AM!” Prompto yelled. Glynda pinched the bridge of her nose.

“You don’t have to go that far, Mr. Argentum. Just as long as we’re clear that’s all I ask.” she sighed. “Gather tonight in the ballroom with the other students and make sure you don’t forget your luggage.” She bid them goodbye and left.

“Man, that lady is scary!” Prompto gasped.

“Tell me about it!” Noctis rasped. “She makes Headmaster Leonis look like a kitten!”

“And that guy’s scarier than the Grimm.” Gladio muttered. Ignis simply stared, seemingly enamoured by Glynda.

“Beautiful,” he whispered.

“...what?!” Prompto asked. 

“Nothing!” Ignis said, clearing his throat. “I said nothing!” Noctis sighed with exhaustion and glared in Yang’s direction.

“Oops.” she chuckled nervously, her face blushing cherry red.

“Perfect,” Weiss said sarcastically. “You embarrassed the Prince on his first day here.”

Jaune, who overheard Weiss’s argument, walked over and attempted to introduce himself.

“You know, I'm a natural blonde,” he said confidently, much to her annoyance.

* * *

Night time was here and all of the students, dressed in their pyjamas, lay their sleeping bags down. Ruby, dressed in a black vest and polka dot pants, was writing a letter and Yang flopped down next to her, wearing a yellow vest with black shorts. 

“It’s like a biiiiig slumber party!” Yang cheered. 

“I don’t think dad would approve of all the boys, though.” Ruby chuckled.

“I know I do,” Yang purred, ogling at several shirtless boys. At that moment Jaune, dressed in a blue bunny onesie, walked over and waved at Yang and Ruby, prompting a wince from Yang. She still didn’t forget the vomiting incident on the airship. “So what are you up to, Ruby?”

“Just writing a letter to the gang back at Beacon,” she responded.

“Awww, that’s so cute!!” Yang teased, earning a pillow in the face.

“Shut up! I didn’t get to take my friends here. It’s weird not knowing anyone.”

“Don’t say that, what about Jaune? He seems… nice. Or Noctis, you two seem to be chummy! There you go! That’s two friends!”

“I don't think Noctis really sees me as 'friend material' and I'm pretty sure Weiss counts as a negative friend,” Ruby sighed. “Back to zero.”

“Come on, Ruby, It's only been one day. Trust me. Look, you've got friends all around you! You just haven't met them yet.” Yang reassured her little sister. Just then, Ruby noticed someone familiar; the raven-haired girl from this afternoon, dressed in a black nightgown and reading a book. 

“That girl,” she whispered. Yang took notice of this and asked Ruby about her. 

“Do you know her?” Ruby shook her head.

“Not really, but she did see what happened this afternoon.”

“Well now here’s your chance.” Yang dragged Ruby across the room to meet her, much to her annoyance.

“Hello,” Yang said in a singsong voice. “I believe you two know each other!” The raven-haired girl looked up.

“Oh yeah,” she said plainly. “You’re the girl that exploded.”

“Yeah,” Ruby laughed nervously. “I’m Ruby Rose, but you can call me Crater,,. actually, just call me Ruby.”

“Blake,” she responded. “Blake Kageyama.” 

“And I’m Yang,” Yang introduced herself. “Ruby’s older sister and party-girl extraordinaire!” Blake said nothing, continuing to read her book. “I like your bow, it goes great with your… pyjamas.” Yang continued to talk. Still nothing. One more time. "Nice night isn't it?" Finally, Blake responded.

"Yes, it's lovely... almost as lovely as this book... that I will continue to read." She looked at her book again as if nothing happened. Fed up, Yang shook her head.

“Okay, I give up. She’s a lost cause. Let's head back to bed, Rubes.” Ruby didn’t move, however, determined to make some kind of conversation with her.

“What are you reading?” she asked. That question got Blake's attention.

"Excuse me?"

"Your book. What's it about?"

“It’s a story about a man with two souls,” she answered. “Each one is fighting for control over the body.”

“I love books,” Ruby said. “Yang used to read them to me every night when we were kids. Tales about heroes. That’s what I want to be.” Blake raised an eyebrow.

“You want to be a hero? Why? Are you hoping that you’ll live happily ever after?”

“Well I hope we all would. My parents were heroes back in their day and it was them who inspired me to fight for what's right and to protect the innocent."

“That’s very ambitious for a child, but life isn’t a fairy tale.” Blake sighed.

"That’s why we’re here, right? To make the world better.” 

"You're an interesting one, Ruby." Blake said, returning to her book. Ruby smiled at that. It looked like she made another friend.

"Awww, nice going Ruby!" Yang exclaimed, bringing her sister in for a crushing hug.

"Yang!!! Cut it out!!!" Ruby squealed.

“Can you all just go to sleep?!” Weiss yelled. She wore a blue nightdress and her hair was down. What started as a small quarrel evolved into a big shouting match between her and Yang, prompting everyone to look. Blake rolled her eyes and continued reading, ignoring the ensuing chaos in front of her. 


	5. The First Step

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I’m going to be explaining the title change right here.
> 
> Originally, the initiation portion was supposed to be two parts, with part two being the conclusion. However, because I spent so much time setting up the beginning of the initiation here, I didn’t want to rush the next chapter. Instead, the rest of the Emerald Forest will be explored in the following chapter while the final battle between the giant Grimm will occur in the chapter after that.

Today was a new day, the start of something big. This was the day that decided everything and Ruby was determined to take advantage of it and show Beacon what she was made of. After everyone had their breakfast, they gathered in the locker rooms to get ready into their combat gear. Ruby’s consisted of a long-sleeved black dress, with a red corset, red fingerless gloves, bright red stockings and black combat boots with a red trim. Draped over her shoulders was a red, hooded cape. Yang’s gear consisted of a bright orange, short puffy sleeved jacket, a yellow crop top, black fingerless gloves, ripped black shorts, orange stockings and a long, red scarf hanging from her neck. She looked over her shoulder to see Ruby with a bright smile on her face and humming to herself.

“You seem pretty chipper this morning.” Yang commented, retrieving two golden bracelets from her locker. 

“Yep!” Ruby chirped, taking out Crescent Rose’s compacted form from her locker. “No more awkward small talk or stupid ‘getting to know you’ stuff. Today, I get to let my sweetheart do the talking.” She held her weapon like a mother held a baby, making Yang chuckle.

“Well, remember, Ruby, you're not the only one going through initiation. If you wanna grow up, you're gonna have to meet new people and learn to work together.” 

“Ugh, you sound like dad.” Ruby groaned. “First of all, what does meeting people have to do with fighting? Second of all, I don’t need people to help me grow up. I drink milk.” 

“Okay, but what about when we form teams?”

“Well, I mean, I could just be on your team or something.” Yang hesitated after hearing that.

“I was thinking maybe you could be on someone else’s team?” she suggested.

“My dear sister Yang, are you implying that you do not wish to be on the same team as me?” Ruby asked firmly.

“What? No! Of course I do! I just thought that maybe it would help you break out of your shell.”

“What?! I don’t need to ‘break out of my shell! I don’t even have a shell!’” 

Over on the other side, Noctis and his friends were getting ready too. His gear consisted of a black vest jacket over a long-sleeved grey t-shirt, silver armoured pauldrons, grey jeans, black boots and a black waist cape clipped on his belt. Gladio wore a dark purple vest jacket that exposed his shirtless abs, matching purple jeans and thick black boots. On his back was his claymore, sheathed. Prompto wore a silver vest jacket, black vest and grey jeans, with black boots and elbow-long black, fingerless gloves. To his side was his revolver tucked into a holster. Ignis wore an orange jacket, with black gloves, black jeans and orange shoes, with black tips. His twin daggers were sheathed to his side. 

“I’m telling you, Noct, Ruby is a total badass!” Prompto exclaimed. Noctis nodded in agreement.

“Given that she can wield a scythe, I have no doubt about that,” 

“You’ve been talking about her scythe for god-knows-how-many-times already,” Gladio chuckled. “I think someone’s in love.” 

“Wha- hey?!” Prompto objected, his face turning red. “T-That’s not true!”

“Sure it isn’t.” 

“Anyway, why is it that we have to take part in initiation too? We’re not students here.”

“You are correct, Prompto,” said Ignis. “However, we are taking part because it is the tradition of all Huntsmen Academies, not just Beacon, to form teams.” Ignis answered.

“Teams?” 

“Yes. Combat Schools teach you the basics of fighting and how to handle your weapons. However, once you reach the Academies, you are required to form teams with three other people.”

“And while we are together,” Gladio said. “We’re technically not a team. Not until we’ve completed the initiation.” Prompto nodded his head, now understanding the situation.

“Still, even if we do take part, there’s no guarantee we’ll end up on the same team together.” Noctis commented.

“Which is why I’ve devised a plan that will make things much easier.” Ignis said. 

“Awesome!” Prompto cheered. 

Meanwhile Jaune put a yellow chestplate over his black half-sleeved hoodie and on his shoulders were matching yellow pauldrons. The rest of his gear consisted of his torn jeans, black trainers and orange fingerless gloves. On his right, he could see two girls already decked out in their combat gear. He recognised Weiss, who wore a beautiful white dress with a matching white jacket and boots but the other girl was new to him. She had golden tanned skin, green eyes and silky red hair tied into a ponytail. She wore a small, golden circlet crown, golden armour, red skirt, long brown gloves and golden boots. He overheard all the students talking about forming teams at breakfast. If he could be on a team with Weiss, he’d be set. 

“So, Pyrrha,” Weiss started. “have you given any thought as to whose team you'd like to be on? I'm sure everyone must be eager to unite with a star athlete?”

“I’m actually not sure,” Pyrrha answered softly. “I was planning on letting the chips fall where they may.” 

“Well I was hoping that we could be in a team together.” the heiress said. 

“That sounds grand!” Pyrrha replied gleefully. Weiss beamed with joy and was about to give herself a little cheer, only to be interrupted by Jaune.

“Count me in, too!” he bellowed. 

“Um, who are you?” Weiss asked nonchalantly.

“Jaune Arc, Snow Angel.” he said, winking. “I couldn’t help but overhear your fondness for me yesterday and since you’re picking teams, I think you and I would make a good one.” Weiss rolled her eyes in annoyance. 

“Actually, the teams are formed of four students.” Pyrrha said. 

“You don’t say,” Jaune responded, turning to Pyrrha. “Well, play your cards right and you could end up on the winning team!”

“Listen, Jaune was it?” Weiss interrupted. “Do you know who you’re speaking to? This is Pyrrha Nikos.” 

“Nice to meet you,” she greeted. Jaune looked at Pyrrha from head to toe and his eyes widened in realisation. 

“Wait a minute, I know who you are,” he gasped. 

“Exactly,” Weiss said. “So you should know that you have absolutely no chance of-”

“You’re the girl on Pumpkin Pete’s Marshmallow Flakes!!!” Pyrrha couldn’t help but giggle, she found him quite amusing. Weiss stared in shock.

“THAT’S WHERE YOU RECOGNISE HER FROM?!” she screeched. “From some dumb cereal?!”

“Dumb?!” Jaune offendedly huffed. “That’s my favourite cereal, and besides, being a mascot must’ve been cool!”

“Yeah, it was pretty cool,” Pyrrha admitted. “Though to be honest, I’m not fond of the cereal myself.” Weiss began to feel frustrated. Clearly this boy was dense.

“Here is a list of all of Pyrrha’s accomplishments; she graduated at the top of her class in Sanctum Combat School _and_ was the youngest Mistral Regions Champion for four years! With all of that in mind, do you honestly think you have a chance at being on a team with her?”

“I guess not,” Jaune lamented, head to the ground. 

“Well I think you’d for a fine teammate,” Pyrrha reassured him, causing Jaune to blush slightly.

“Oh, stop it!” he said giddily.

“Yes, please stop it!” Weiss told Pyrrha. “This kind of silliness should not be encouraged!”

“Sounds like Pyrrha is on board for Team Jaune, so how about it Snow Angel?” Weiss’s patience had finally worn thin. Taking out a vial of Ice Dust, she slammed it on the ground near Jaune’s legs, freezing him in place. 

“Hey!! Woah!!!” Jaune was struggling to keep balance until he finally fell to the floor, breaking the ice as he did so. Weiss huffed and stormed off, while Pyrrha apologetically waved. 

“It was nice meeting you, Jaune.” she said.

“Likewise,” he slurred in pain. Yang and Ruby arrived to help him back up.

“Having some trouble there, Ladykiller?” Yang teased. 

“I don’t get it,” Jaune groaned. “My Uncle Johnny said that all girls look for is confidence, where did I go wrong?”

“Snow Angel probably wasn’t the best start.”

“Come on, Jaune. Let’s go.” Ruby sighed, walking with Jaune to the door. 

* * *

At the cliffs, many students gathered together. Some had already formed some groups while others arrived solo. Two in particular seemed inseparable: an orange-haired girl with a black vest, white sleeveless jacket, pink skirt with a few rips, black boots and pink fingerless gloves. Next to her was a taller boy with medium black hair, with a single pink highlight, dark green tailcoat trimmed with black and gold, white trousers and simple black shoes. The girl was talking about a mile a minute while the boy said nothing, as if he was trying to ignore her. 

“I can't believe we've been at Beacon for a full twenty-four hours!” she chirped. “Not that I thought we'd get kicked out or anything, I mean, you're the perfect student and I'm, well, I'm me! But it's just crazy, you know? We've been friends for _so_ long! What are the odds we'd still be together? Well, not ‘together-together’. Not that I'm not saying that you're not handsome; you are handsome, but that'd just be weird, right? Right! What was I thinking? But still, I hope we end up on the same team together! Oh, we should come up with some sort of plan, to make sure we end up on the same team together! How about we make a signal? A secret signal that no one will be able to find! How about a sloth? I like sloths! Can you imitate a sloth?”

“Nora,” the boy finally replied. 

“Yes, Ren?”

“...I don’t think sloths make a lot of noise.”

“...That’s why it’s perfect!” she bellowed. “No one will ever suspect that we’re working together! Well, not ‘together-together’.

Ruby and Yang watched over the cliff. The view of the green trees was absolutely gorgeous. However, Ruby couldn’t help but feel nervous. She didn’t give the idea of teams much thought, assuming that she’d just end up with Yang. But what if that wasn’t the case? What if she ended up with someone she didn’t like? 

“Ruby, are you okay?” Yang asked, concerned. 

“Y-Yeah,” Ruby stuttered. “T-Top of the world.”

“Are you sure?” Ruby nodded her head in response, despite the tingling feeling in her stomach. 

“Hey Ruby.” Noctis greeted, with Prompto right behind him. Ruby's mood brightened. At least there was another friendly face here.

“Oh, hey Noctis,” Ruby waved. Yang gulped at the sight of the Prince, still mortified by the events of yesterday. 

“Uh… hey,” she muttered. “Listen, I’m really sorry about yesterday at the amphitheatre. 

Noctis simply shrugged. “It’s okay, I was bound to get recognised eventually. Though it was one hell of a way to get noticed.”

“I guess. I’m Yang, by the way.” she introduced herself, bowing her head. “It’s an honour to meet you, Your Highness.”

“Nice to meet you, and you can just call me Noctis.”

“Really?” Yang was confused. Noctis was nothing like she imagined him to be. She thought he’d be all fancy and uptight. But from the way he looked and spoke, he seemed pretty normal. 

“Yeah,” The young Prince replied. "Trust me, formalities get way too exhausting."

"I can imagine. So, you're really taking part in initiation?” Yang eyed him from head to toe. “No offence, but you don't look like the fighting type.”

"How do you mean?" Noctis asked

"Well, you are pretty scrawny." Yang said bluntly. 

"Wha-! Hey!" Noctis objected, blushing slightly. "I've got muscles... you just can't see them." Yang snorted with laughter, causing the Prince to facepalm in embarrassment. Even Prompto and Ruby joined in the fun. At that moment, Ozpin and Glynda both arrived. The headmaster faced the students and directed to stand over metallic slabs. 

“Good morning, everyone. For years, you have trained on the path to becoming warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest.”

“Now I’m sure many of you have researched or at least heard about the assignment of teams,” Glynda spoke. “Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... _today._ ” Many of the students were excited or scared. It was the end of the line. 

“These teammates will be with you for the next four years here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to find people who you can work well with. After you've met up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path... or you will die.” The tension increased tenfold, with Jaune being the most worried. 

“You will be monitored and graded through the duration of your initiation,” Ozpin continued. “But our instructor will not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each team must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?” Jaune raised his hand to speak, but Ozpin ignored it. “Good! Now take your positions for the landing strategy.

“Landing strategy?!” Jaune shouted. All of the students drew their weapons to assist them. Seeing this, Jaune frantically got his sword and shield at the ready. Immediately, he realised what Ozpin meant when he said ‘landing strategy’, as he and the others were promptly flung into the air. Ozpin stared delightfully. 

“This should be fun,” he muttered. 

* * *

Jaune flailed his arms wildly as he zoomed through the air. What kind of a crazy headmaster flings his students up in the sky on the first day? Fearing for his life, he held his shield up close and crashed into a nearby tree. Fortunately, he was alive. Unfortunately, he was dropping to the ground. Or rather he would be, if it wasn’t for the fact that he felt something jam into his hood. He opened his eyes and found himself stuck up a tree. To make matters worse, his sword was on the ground. 

“Great,” he moaned. “Just my luck.” 

“Jaune!” called a friendly voice. He looked down and noticed Pyrrha walking over to him. “I was wondering if you had any spots left on your team? If the answer is yes, I’d like to join.” Jaune couldn’t help but smile. Maybe his luck wasn’t so bad after all. 

* * *

Noctis darted his eyes around in order to find the safest landing spot. Luckily for him, he had training from the Kingsglaive and falling from great heights was their speciality. Spotting the nearest tree he could find, he threw his sword and warped over in the direction. He hung onto his sword and observed the rest of the area. He wasn’t that far off the ground and promptly jumped off. 

“Alright then,” he said to himself. “Let’s see if I can find the guys.” From above the branches, he could see a small light blinking. There was no doubt that it was the signal Ignis had set up. “Okay, that’s either Prompto, Gladio or Ignis.” With a tight grip on his sword, he walked over and pushed through the dense branches. Up in one of the trees, he saw Prompto flicking the switch of his flashlight. Noctis gave a whistle, altering the messy blonde towards him. 

“Hey Noct!” Prompto said happily.

“So are you gonna be in there all day or?” The Prince asked jokingly. Prompto chuckled and jumped down. Suddenly, there was a rustling in the branches and the sound of wings flapping filled the air. Both boys looked around, weapons at the ready. From the trees they spotted several, large, jet-black birds, with the same bone-white masks as the beowolves. There was no mistaking it, these were Grimm.

“Wow, talk about an unkindness, huh?” Prompto snickered. 

“Enough with the puns,” Noctis groaned. “Let’s get to work.”

* * *

Ruby shifted Crescent Rose into its scythe form and used to catch a nearby branch. She swung around it until she slowly dropped to the ground. This was it; the start of her Huntress journey. Taking a deep breath, she sped through the forest with only one thought on her mind. 

_Gotta find Yang! Gotta find Yang!_ Despite how deep she was venturing into the forest, there was no sign of her sister anywhere. _Oh, this is bad, this is really bad... What if I can't find her? What if someone finds her first? Well, there's always Jaune. He's nice. He's funny!_ _But, I don't think he's very good in a fight, though. Ooh! What about Blake?! So mysterious, so calm. Plus she likes books! Then again, I'm not sure I'd be able to hold a conversation with her. Oh! There’s Noctis! He can summon swords like a badass! Maybe he can teach it to me? But then again, he seems to already have his friends. Ugh! Who else do I know at this school? Yang, Jaune, Blake, Noctis and…_

Her thoughts were interrupted when she caught a glimpse of a white blur in front of her. Ruby managed to stop just in time, skidding along the ground. She opened her eyes to see the grumpy face of Weiss Schnee, shaking her head in disappointment. 

“You’re the last person I’d ever team up with,” the heiress hissed. “However, it looks like I’m going to have to make do. I only ask that you don’t slow us down.” Though not fond of her comments, the task was to form a team and it looked like Ruby found her first teammate. Remembering what Yang said, she decided to take this opportunity to impress Weiss. 

_Zoom!_

In a flash, Ruby appeared right in front of her, with a silly smile on her face. 

“I’m not slow, see? You don’t have to worry about me.” 

“Wha-? How did-?” Weiss looked back to where Ruby was originally, only to find nothing but a trail of rose petals. 

“Weiss," Ruby began, "Just because I may not know about people, that doesn’t mean I don’t know about monsters. Today, you’re about to see a whole new side of me that’ll make you say ‘Wow! That Ruby girl is really, really cool!’” Before Weiss could respond, Ruby once zoomed through the forests. Weiss was admittedly impressed by the girl’s speed, but she wasn’t fond of her playing around. This wasn’t a game.

“You may be fast, but you still excel at wasting time!” she called. There was no answer but instead the foul snarl of Grimm. From the shrubs emerged a pack of beowolves, howling with hunger. 


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys, so I have some bad news.

Last week, my laptop decided to crash. I’ve tried everything to fix it myself but nothing worked. I took it to the shop, where the owner said that he needed to replace the motherboard. Unfortunately, we are going into lockdown from tomorrow and he still didn’t fix it, meaning that I had to take it back.

Because I have no idea how long it’s gonna take, I’m gonna have to put Versus XV on an indefinite hiatus. I know, it sucks. Even more so since there was some actual progress being made but I can’t work on it in any other way. I don’t have a desktop PC and phone is more trouble than it’s worth.

Sorry guys.

**Author's Note:**

> Important update: Since March, I've spent a lot of time actually outlining a lot of the story properly. Currently, I have the outlines of Volumes 1-2 complete and now that I have an idea of where the story is going, this means that the first two chapters will be updated. Keep an eye out for that and take care!


End file.
